(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
There has been a lot of talk about Mac Jones and the New England Patriots lately.
Everybody raved about Jones’ work ethic and poise during his rookie season, but his character became a subject of debate last year amid all the struggles and sideline tantrums.
The Patriots’ offense was one of the worst in the league in many categories, and while Jones might not be at fault for his lack of a supporting cast and atrocious play-calling, he didn’t look very good, either.
However, according to Fox Sports reporter Henry McKenna, the Pats’ front office urged coaches not to be too hard on him when he messed up, as they were worried that could lead to worse performance and a lack of self-confidence.
Report: #Patriots coaches were instructed not to be too hard on QB Mac Jones in an effort to protect him from being too critical of himself.
There was an issue in 2021 with Jones struggling after getting yelled at, source told @McKennAnalysishttps://t.co/n3i1Mu3KI7. pic.twitter.com/ybilBRhENF
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 28, 2023
According to McKenna, some within the organization believed there was a direct relationship between criticism and Jones’ struggles, so they wanted to protect their franchise QB.
Needless to say, this story will most likely have the opposite effect, as it will be hard to come back from this narrative of not being mentally strong enough to handle criticism.
Mental health is a major issue in all sports, and being labeled as soft is the last thing any NFL quarterback would want entering his third year.
Still, all of his teammates have come to Jones’ defense since he entered the league, raving about his character and work ethic, so it’s nice to see that he’s earned their love and respect.
Then again, this could be a talking point again if he starts to struggle in 2023.
The post New Details Emerge About Mac Jones’ Relationship With Coaching Staff appeared first on The Cold Wire.
