Jerod Mayo seemed encouraged by Mac Jones’ presence when Mayo was introduced as the Patriots’ new head coach on Wednesday.
Others, not so much.
While Mayo seemed impressed when he told ESPN Jones was working out at the facility that day, the quarterback seems to have worn out his welcome in other parts of the building.
“He was in his workout gear which is ironic since he cleared his entire locker at the end of the season. Not a single hanger. Completely empty. … I mean, come on man,” a team source told Boston Sports Journal, via NESN. “Everyone’s watched him play, they’ve watched him act like a prima donna. The team is sick of it, everyone’s sick of it.”
Bill Belichick, who parted ways with the Patriots this month after 24 seasons and six Super Bowl championships, made Jones inactive for the season finale against the Jets, sending an apparent message to the former first-round pick — and perhaps owner Robert Kraft.
The consensus seemed to be that the scratch would mark the end of a roller-coaster three-year marriage between the Patriots and Jones, who earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie in 2021 but has since failed to establish himself as a franchise quarterback.
The Patriots were 2-9 this season in games the 25-year-old started, which featured multiple in-game benchings.
Jones officially lost the starting job to Bailey Zappe, a 2022 fourth-round pick, in Week 13, when New England lost 6-0 to the Chargers.
Speaking Monday on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show,” Mayo was asked if Jones struggled as a leader this season.
“I’m not saying that,” Mayo replied. “What I will say is, when I think about Mac, he obviously has talent – and once again we’re in the evaluation phase. I will say with that, you know, the confidence of a player is very fragile, especially with these players now – like I’m an old man or something like that. But confidence goes a lot way and honestly as I continue to evaluate, as we continue to evaluate as a coaching staff, we’ll see. But you know these guys can play football, like they’re here for a reason.”