New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots appear to have found their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye, but it wasn’t too long ago that the team thought that another former first-round pick of theirs, Mac Jones, was the answer under center.
After earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2021 as a rookie, Jones regressed so quickly that he ended up getting shipped to the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2023 season. After spending one year with them, Jones signed with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency to be Brock Purdy’s backup.
With Purdy missing all but two games so far this season, Jones has filled in admirably in his absence. In seven starts, Jones has thrown for 1,832 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading the Niners to a 5-2 record during Purdy’s absence.
Jones has been playing so well that San Fran has been able to take it easy with Purdy when it comes to getting healthy. Heading into Week 10, that means another start for Jones, as Purdy still isn’t 100% healthy for the 49ers.
“49ers QB Mac Jones will start again Sunday in place of Brock Purdy, who is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Rams due to his turf toe injury,” Adam Schefter of ESPN shared in a post on X.
During his time in New England, Jones showed flashes of his potential, but a poor offensive infrastructure, both in terms of the coaching staff and the roster around him, didn’t exactly help his development.
San Francisco has been plagued by injuries, but Jones has somehow been finding a way to lead his new squad to victory. He will look to push the Niners’ record to 7-3 when they take on the Los Angeles Rams at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
As for the Patriots, things are going quite well with Maye under center, as he has the team on a six-game win streak. New England will be aiming to make that seven straight wins on Sunday when it takes on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1 p.m. ET.
