Bill Belichick 'stopped speaking' to Mac Jones before end of Patriots season
Bill Belichick, the former coach of the New England Patriots, reportedly stopped talking to quarterback Mac Jones before the end of the season.
This comes as more details about the Patriots' struggles emerge. Belichick's 24-year reign at the Patriots ended in January after a disappointing season with only four wins. The team finished last in the AFC East after a 17-3 loss to the New York Jets.
The quarterback position was a problem area for the Patriots this season, with Jones and his backup Bailey Zappe both underperforming. According to MassLive, Belichick stopped speaking to Jones after Week 12 when he benched the 25 year old. A Patriots source described it as a "It's a broken relationship,".
Despite Jones's efforts to regain his place on the team, including arriving early, spending extra time in the weight room, and staying late, the coaches were not swayed. Zappe started for the rest of the season, and there was reportedly a lack of communication that led to an 'uncomfortable situation'.
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Jones's relationship with Belichick reached a new low when he was demoted to third-choice quarterback in the final game of the season and was not informed until 90 minutes before the game began.
The player racked up 2,120 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in what was a tough season for the 2021 first-round draft pick. Despite this, the franchise hasn't ruled out Jones returning next season, thanks to new Patriots coach Jerod Mayo who might be more willing to give the former first-round draft pick another chance than his predecessor.
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Jones was benched after Week 12 and his communication with the former Patriots coach worsened (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)Mayo, who won the Super Bowl with the Patriots as a player in 2015 and served as their inside linebackers coach before becoming head coach, faces a big offseason. The front office is prepared to support him financially as they aim to rebuild the struggling team. The Patriots also have the third pick in the NFL draft, their highest selection in Kraft's 30 years of ownership.
"We're bringing in talent, 1,000 percent," Mayo declared on sports radio WEEI. "We have a lot of cap space and cash. We're ready to burn some cash! We're going to take the best available player for the biggest need on the team; offensive line, receiver, quarterback - pick your [choice]."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
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