QUARTERBACK MAC JONES
PRESS CONFERENCE
September 7, 2022
Q: Bill just told us you've been named a captain for the season. What does that mean to you?
MJ: I think it's really cool. I think I have a lot of work to do. I want to become an even better leader. I think we have great guys around us that make everything better. Great coaches, great organization and we've just got to build. I'm going to learn from the older guys like I did when I first got here and continue to do that. Hopefully some of the younger guys can come to me, whether that be issues and things they want to get fixed, or things that they're struggling with. I'll be happy to help anybody on our team.
Q: I know you said going into the offseason that taking on a more active leadership role was one of your goals. Do you feel like you're able to be more comfortable in that role with those responsibilities now in your second year?
MJ: I mean titles are titles. I think really good leaders lead no matter what. If they're the number one guy or not, it doesn't matter, they're good leaders. I think it's great. But you have to be yourself and that's what's important to me, is just being myself. I'm plenty good enough and I just need to continue to grow and try to figure out how I can get better as a player, as a leader, and a person and all that stuff. So it comes with time and experience and learning lessons.
Q: How important is it to start fast for Game One?
MJ: Yeah, I think it's important. I think sometimes Game One, there's a lot of emotional stuff. You want to focus more on the details of the plays and everything like that and let the emotions come and go. That's how emotions are, they come and go. Energy and all that will be there. At the end of the day, it's just the start of something. You have to learn from it and grow regardless of the results. So we're going to go out there and compete and see how it goes. That's all that you can ask for.
Q: Take us through the process of each day with Coach Belichick. What are some examples of ways in which his coaching experience show up to you?
MJ: Yeah, I think he's done a great job just explaining everything to me from his standpoint of view. He's seen a lot of football, whether that be a certain route, or a certain defense or a certain run. He's very good about understanding how to see it through my eyes, but also how he sees it. He's a really smart guy. We're both smart. We both can come together and come to a conclusion that this is why we want to do this play. He explains it and then I have to go execute it. So I've been really comfortable with that.
Q: How often are there times where he might pull up a play from possibly even before you were born?
MJ: Yeah, it happens all the time. I mean he'll show it in squad and be like this play's been around forever. It's not just a new play or anything. It's always good to learn from experience and seeing it on film. So that's one of the things I like.
Q: Josh McDaniels is one of the best offensive coordinators in the last 25 years. He's gone and there hasn't really been concrete replacement. He had an offensive that one six Super Bowls, you guys are pivoting a bit from. How hard has is it been to maintain the optimism you've shown when there's some much uncertainty?
MJ: I think the uncertainty just has to clear itself up. I think that's just a mentality. I think it's all about getting in the right spot, having confidence in one another and we've done that. Sometimes it's not going to be a perfect clean picture right off the bat when something's new a little bit. But I feel like we've made really good strides in practice and the games even. When you really watch the tape to see how close we are. We're just excited to get out there and put it on tape and see what we can do and adjust and just play for one another. That's all it comes down to. The x's and o's are the x's and o's. But if we play for one another then good things can happen.
Q: You must have to make a conscience decision, 'look I'm going to flip on the optimism,' that's probably an important thing to do every day?
MJ: Yeah, I think anything you do, you try to be positive and optimistic and just figure out the solution to the issue. That's what every good problem solver does. There's an issue or something that doesn't make sense, they find a way to fix it. That's kind of what we're doing. I feel really good with where we're at. Just have to do it today really is where it starts. So have a good day today.
