There is a lot of pressure that comes along with being a second-year starting quarterback in the NFL, but you'd never know it if you saw Mac Jones during any of his visits to local Boys & Girls Clubs this season.
On each occasion, the New England Patriots quarterback has fit right in with the kids, playing games and answering all their questions about how he got where it is today. So Thursday as he takes the field against the Buffalo Bills, Jones is taking them with him, so to speak.
Participating in the NFL's My Cause My Cleats Initiative, Jones will be honoring the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston with his customized kicks – a tribute for everything the non-profit does to help kids live up to their potential.
"I know this place means a lot to you guys," Jones told members at the Gerald and Darlene Jordan location in Chelsea back in November when he surprised them with the news." I don't know if you have any ideas but my cleats will be designed for you guys and it will be on TV for our game."
The kids had plenty of ideas, which are now symbolized in his cleats.
The white base features the Boys & Girls Club logo in black paint, making for a cool, geometric pattern. The outline of a heart and sunflower represent the love and light kids feel when they step into the Club each day.
Jones has visited Clubs across the country, from Alabama to Florida to New England. He knows how much influence those kids get from exposure to sports, music, art, and academics, and wants to support the Boys & Girls Club's effort to provide all that – especially, in underserved areas.
"Helping younger people is what my passion is, whether they like sports or not, to help them reach their dreams," Jones said this offseason, while visiting the Metro South Club in Brockton in March.
"There's a lot of good kids here that need guidance, but that's all they really need. They have good hearts. Just talking with them today, meeting some of them, it is really cool to see all of them playing together and competing, having fun."
Learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and other organizations the Patriots are supporting for My Cause My Cleats.
