Mac Jones addresses Patriots tenure: Jaguars QB, ex-Alabama star without regrets amid Florida homecoming

The former first-round pick has moved on and is anxious to get started in Jacksonville.

Former Alabama star and national champion Mac Jones has no reservations about the next step of his NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being traded this week by the New England Patriots. Relegated to much criticism in the ill-fated final years of Bill Belichick’s reign in New England, Jones is back in his hometown within the friendly confines of Florida.

“I don’t have regrets,” Jones said during his first press conference since being traded. “I feel like I put everything out there. I gave a lot to that organization, and they gave a lot to me. I’m going to do the same thing here. I have all the respect for those guys up there. They’re my first team, drafted me in the first round and can’t thank them enough. Obviously, we kind of just decided the mutual parting of ways was the best decision for both of us.”

The trade marks Jones’ first career change in teams since the Patriots took him with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 draft. Jones attended Jacksonville (Fla.) The Bolles School, graduated as part of the 2017 recruiting class and graded as a three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 17 pro-style quarterback. He projects to serve as the Jaguars’ backup to Trevor Lawrence.

For me, it was just about moving on and getting back home, and I can’t be more excited,” Jones said. “And for them, it’s about moving forward and turning the page. So really, that’s kind of what we decided, and I think it’s a great decision.”

Jones’ professional career took a turn after a prolific rookie season. During his debut 2021 campaign in New England, the Alabama product instantly delivered on his first-round upside, beating out Cam Newton in the preseason for the starting job. He set an NFL completion percentage record for a debuting rookie with a 74.4% rate in his first career game and proceeded to finish second in Rookie of the Year voting after racking up just over 4,000 yards of total offense.

With diminishing efficiency over the ensuing two years, though, the one-time Pro Bowler lost his handle on the starting role and ceded playing time to backup Bailey Zappe. Across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Jones tallied 24 touchdowns to 23 interceptions and saw his completion rate, yardage and passer rating fall to career-low marks.

Jones displayed tremendous pocket-passing upside throughout a prolific Alabama career, closing his time with the Crimson Tide as the NCAA’s single-season record holder in completion rate after connecting on 77.4% of his throws during the 2020 campaign. That record stood for three years, as Oregon’s Bo Nix eclipsed the mark last fall.