GREEN BAY, Wisc. — Let’s be honest: Patriots-Packers joint practices would have carried more gravitas if they were held four years ago.
Since that time, Tom Brady left the Patriots, joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then retired, and Aaron Rodgers was traded from the Packers to the New York Jets. And now two young quarterbacks — the Patriots’ Mac Jones and the Packers’ Jordan Love — are stuck living in the shadows of two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
Jones, who never actually played with Brady, since he was drafted a year after Brady left for the Buccaneers, was asked if he would have any advice for Love about replacing a living legend.
“I think Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback to ever play in the NFL,” Jones said. “So to follow up on him, it’s just trying to chase the standard that he set every day. Honestly, we’re definitely two different players. That’s the only advice I’d have (for Love): just continue to grow and be yourself, right? That’s all you can do: put your best foot forward and compete. But yeah, it’s definitely big shoes to fill.”
Love served as Rodgers’ backup from the time he was drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft until last season. Now, with 83 career passing attempts and an 0-1 record as a starter, Love is very clearly the guy in Green Bay with two inexperienced backups in Alex McGough and rookie Sean Clifford.
Jones was asked a follow-up about possibly still being in Brady’s shadow since so much of the Patriots’ identity was forged by the future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
“I got drafted like three years ago, so it’s just trying to move on from that part of it,” Jones said, “and understanding how you can set the standard that he had already set, you know? For us it’s just, every year is a new year. You’ve gotta go out and earn it. He did that every year. And I’m going to continue to do that as well.”
The Patriots made the playoffs and went 10-7 in Jones’ first year as a starter in 2021 when he was a rookie. He was still playing under Brady’s old offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, at the time. McDaniels left to become the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Matt Patricia and Joe Judge infamously took over the offense. Jones got hurt last season and went 6-8 as a starter. Now he’s trying to bounce back under another one of Brady’s former OCs in Bill O’Brien.
Jones certainly seems more confident heading into his third year in the system. It seems impossible to fully live up to the standard Brady set, however, since six Super Bowl wins come along with it.
Brady will return to Gillette Stadium to be honored by the team following his offseason retirement Week 1 against the reining NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. No pressure, Mac.