PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK MAC JONES
PRESS CONFERENCE
August 7, 2023
Q: Can you talk about how –it's been a year now – your relationship has developed and grown with Bailey [Zappe] on a daily basis because you guys spend so much time together?
MJ: Yeah, I think I've definitely been in some really good quarterback rooms and learned a lot from the guys that were here when I was young, and hopefully I can do the same for the guys that are younger than me.
Q: Bailey was saying that you guys are actually a little bit ahead of where you wanted to be for install. How do you feel about the way the offense has been progressing so far?
MJ: Yeah, I think it's good. I think we're doing a lot of stuff and working through it.
Q: Mac, what's it been like watching Malik Cunningham? He's out there catching passes for you guys as a receiver out there during 11s, playing quarterback. It's kind of cool to watch.
MJ: Yeah, it's awesome, man. He's very athletic. He's a smart kid; he works hard. He doesn't get a lot of reps, but you can see when he's in there that he's a little bit of a playmaker. Maybe I can take some of his running ability and add it to my game.
Q: What are you working on with these conditions? What are you locking in on?
MJ: I think just the biggest thing, we threw in the offseason a lot when it was raining, so just reminding those guys to carry that over. A lot of the receivers, some of them probably wouldn't come out maybe on another team, but one day I remember we decided to come out when it was like this, and I think it helps. At the end of the day, you've kind of got to just focus on what you can control and just try to make the right throws and the catches. It's harder, right? You have to expect it to be harder, and it's not going to be perfect. There's going to be some missed throws, some dropped balls, it is what it is. But, you've just got to keep finding a way to win.
Q: How far along is this offense and what kind of version of this offense are we going to see come Thursday against Houston?
MJ: I'm not sure. I think it's definitely a coach's question. I think we have a lot of stuff in. I think we're trying to just expand and try things, and keep the things that we like in and take the things out that we don't like. That's what practice is all about, and I've been very happy with Coach [Bill] O'Brien and all of us have. We're just trying to raise the standard here and just do it right every day. I feel like just trying to be consistent is our biggest thing.
Q: You talk about the communication with the players. How difficult has that been with the offensive line because it just hasn't come together yet?
MJ: I think the offensive line is doing great. I think right now, obviously there's some injuries and stuff, but those guys are doing a great job trying to fight to keep the pocket clean, and it all starts with those guys. I feel like they've made a lot of progress. Coach [Adrian] Klemm and Coach Billy [Yates] have done a great job just kind of explaining everything to them. Obviously, David [Andrews] does a great job leading. We've got a lot of veterans, but we also have a lot of young guys who haven't played as much. It's just good to see them come together, and you never know when there's going to be an injury in a game. You've just got to make it work; the five that are in there have to work together, and I feel like they're doing a great job. I feel like back there in practice, they're doing good. A game is a game, so we've got to see what everybody's made of there.
Q: Speaking of David, what was the difference having him out here today? I know he was out yesterday.
MJ: Yeah, I love David. I think David is just the ideal Patriot, and if he could've been here, he would've, you know? But yeah, he's an awesome guy, definitely a team leader and one of my great friends. He just practices hard every day. It doesn't matter if he's in there with the one's, two's, three's, he doesn't care. He's just going to work.
