With 34 seconds left in the first half against the New York Giants, the New England Patriots had the football first-and-10 at their 9-yard line on Nov. 26. Quarterback Mac Jones handed off to running back Ezekiel Elliott for no gain, and the half ended.
It was the last snap that Jones would take for the Patriots. Replaced by Bailey Zappe for the second half, the former Alabama All-American ended his third season as New England’s starting QB on the bench for the final six games.
Traded to Jacksonville in the offseason, Jones will make his return to the field on Saturday, when the Jaguars kick off their preseason schedule against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“My rookie year, I played a lot in the preseason,” Jones told WJXL-AM on Wednesday. “I wanted to play the last two years in the preseason, but I didn’t get a chance to play as much. That’s kind of something where: ‘Hey, I want to get in there and get the reps. I don’t really care who it’s with.’ … For me, it’s about trying to move the offense, staying calm, letting things come to me.”
Jacksonville’s first depth chart of the preseason shows Jones as the backup to Trevor Lawrence, ahead of last year’s backup, C.J. Beathard.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said he plans to play “the penciled-in starters a series or two.” After that, Jones figures to get his first playing time not only since his benching, but his first at EverBank Stadium since he was in a Pop Warner championship game as a youngster in Jacksonville.
“We didn’t win,” Jones said. “I think it was like 25-6. We played Sweetwater. It wasn’t a good day for me, so I’m not going to look back on it. I’m excited to be in my hometown stadium. I’m really just going to go out there and let it fly and whatever happens happen, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Jones has started all 42 regular-season games that he’s played in the NFL, but he said he’s enjoyed preparing for a backup role with the Jaguars.
“Just being Mac and being my own guy,” Jones told the Florida-Times Union. “Being the quarterback that everyone wants to play with. I like to have fun, like to talk a little smack and I don’t want to feel bad doing that. It’s just my personality, and I think everyone here is embracing it. …
“Just really trying to find what works for me and my process. Being back home is really nice, and we got a great weight room, obviously a great coaching staff, great players. Really just trying to fit in where I get in, and I really enjoy the guys on this team. I feel like it’s definitely a different vibe than what I’m used to, and it’s a good vibe out there, so, hopefully, we can just keep that going.”
Pederson said on Monday that sometimes Jones’ vibe doesn’t always jibe with his, but the quarterback’s teammates like it.
“He’s going to have a fun time no matter what,” Pederson said. “I think that’s just his personality. He’s great in the locker room, great with the guys. Sometimes he drives us crazy with some of the stuff he does or says. But it’s good. I think it’s really good because when he gets in there, it’s business, and he’s a competitor and he loves to compete.”
Asked for an example of what about Jones drives him crazy sometimes, Pederson said: “Just some of the things he says out there. I can’t really repeat them all. It’s pretty interesting.”
During a press conference last week, Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor agreed he had an “annoying-little-brother relationship” with Jones.
“That’s a good way to describe it,” Taylor said. “What I love about Mac is that Mac loves football. He loves playing football, he loves talking football, which I think I’m very similar in that way, so we have a good rapport in that sense. Mac’s always having a good time, always talking. We talked about that before, so I’ve got no problem talking. We like to chirp back and forth every once in a while. It’s fun being in his headset, being able to talk to him and kind of rib him a little bit that you may not see or hear, and he gives it right back. I think we just have a good time competing and talking football.”
The Jaguars square off against Kansas City at 6 p.m. CDT Saturday at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. NFL Network will televise the game.
“All the young guys have met the standard, to be honest, and I want to make sure they do that on Saturday night,” Jones said of taking the field with the Jaguars’ backups. “Don’t let the lights be too bright; just go out there and play. It’s going to be their first game for some guys, so I’m just going to stay positive. We’re going to make mistakes and we’re going to make plays, so that’s kind of how the first preseason game goes.”
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.
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