The calls grew out in Foxboro, Massachusetts in Week 5. After 36 games, the New England Patriots had fans already itching to see a change with the debacle against the New Orleans Saints as the final straw.
Fans sounded off that the Mac Jones era must end at quarterback. And some loud voices hailed from the national media. Finally, in the fourth quarter, Jones got yanked with not even seven minutes left into the blowout loss.
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‘Not a Starting QB’ Says Longtime National Sports Writer
Among the mishaps on Jones’ end: Throwing a pick-six in the game, the fourth of his career.
HONEY BADGER HOUSE CALL 🏠📞#Saints S Tyrann Mathieu picks off #Patriots QB Mac Jones and takes it to the crib!
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 8, 2023
And that number already ties the amount his predecessor had in his two decades with the Pats, Tom Brady.
One notable Massachusetts native is one who believed a change needed to take place after what was on display versus the Saints. Bill Simmons — the longtime columnist, podcaster, and once the brains behind ESPN’s famed 30 for 30 series — had seen enough.
“This has to end. How much more evidence do we need that Mac Jones is not a starting QB?” Simmons posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) in all caps.
THIS HAS TO END. HOW MUCH MORE EVIDENCE DO WE NEED THAT MAC JONES IS NOT A STARTING QB????
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) October 8, 2023
But Simmons wasn’t alone in the criticism. The Volume gave Jones this caption:
Mac Jones on his way to the unemployment office pic.twitter.com/nT3MQgRlqn
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) October 8, 2023
Radio personality Matt McCarthy of 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston is another who has seen enough of the Jones era.
“Mac Jones can’t even pitch the ball correctly,” McCarthy said on X. “Enough is enough. He’s cooked. They ruined him. He ruined himself. He was never good. I don’t know, but I know he’s not the guy. There’s no point in seeing any more of him.”
Ultimately, Jones was finally pulled with the Saints having a commanding 31-0 lead.
Bill Belichick Sent Cryptic Warning About Jones’ Standing as a Starter
But if a Friday press conference from Bill Belichick was any indication, there was the cryptic warning that Jones’ status as QB1 was in jeopardy.
“Anybody who plays or coaches in this league has not-so-good performances somewhere along the line,” Belichick said to reporters. “So, part of the job, part of the situation, every week’s a new week. Mac’s pretty mentally tough. So is everybody else around here. I mean, you have to be in this league.”
MORE: New England Patriots Depth Chart
But then came the warning.
“If it just goes from bad to worse, then you’re not going to be around very long,” Belichick said. “We all get knocked down, got to get up and go back in the ring.”
Jones by the Numbers: Decline Becoming More Noticeable
If one takes a look at Jones’ 2023 production, it shows signs of a decline.
At the start of the year, Jones racked up 316 passing yards and tossed three touchdowns facing a fast-paced Philadelphia Eagles defense. But the Pats still fell 25-20.
But since then, Jones’ numbers have taken a dive.
Against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, Jones settled for 231 yards and one touchdown in that loss to their AFC East foe. Facing the New York Jets, Jones got the win while only throwing for 201 yards and one touchdown. But in Week 4 versus the Dallas Cowboys, Jones fell to only 150 yards and was picked off twice. And, Dallas kept his wide receivers from scoring.
Jones against the Saints saw the former top 20 NFL Draft pick throw for 110 yards through three quarters. Along with the pick-six, Jones also lost a fumble and got sacked for a 13-yard loss by Carl Granderson.
GRANDO!! 😤
Carl Granderson takes down Mac Jones for a 13-yd loss#Saints | 📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Hmk8oyWZmt
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 8, 2023
The calls for Jones’ QB job security grew louder in the fifth week of his third NFL season. Now, the Saints game appears to have become the final straw for those fans, and now giving them more leverage that it’s time to flip to Bailey Zappe moving forward.