Mac Jones started the season as the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots. He finished it by getting demoted to the third-string quarterback spot.
Jones’ demotion came as a surprise reveal before Sunday’s season finale against the New York Jets. Jones was listed among the team’s inactive players before the game, but was designated as the team’s emergency third quarterback.
That left Bailey Zappe as the starter and Nathan Rourke as the primary backup. The NFL changed its rules to allow teams to designate an emergency third quarterback on game days. Due to the designation, the only way Jones could have entered the game was if both Zappe and Rourke were injured.
It wasn’t too long ago that Jones was the franchise quarterback -- and only quarterback on the actual roster. What changed to get him dropped below Rourke, who was picked up off waivers a month ago and has yet to appear in a game with New England.
Bill Belichick was asked after the game if Rourke had performed Jones in practice ahead of the move.
“Yeah, Nathan had a good week of practice, so we activated him for the second spot,” Belichick said.
OK, so was the team aware heading into the game that Jones was dropped further down the depth chart? Patriots captain David Andrews was asked if Jones’ designation as emergency QB came as a surprise.
Andrews, who’s been answering question as a Patriot for a long time, smiled a bit. There was not way that question was getting answered.
“You think I sat in those meetings and made those choices?” Andrews asked. “Look, I’m not aware of what going on on the roster. That just is what it is.”
That’s the Patriots’ official explanation for Jones being demoted. That doesn’t eliminate the possibility that there were other factors that went into the call.
We won’t know if this was a one-time affair or indicative of Jones’ status on the roster changing -- on account of the season being over.
For now, the Patriots face some tough questions about their quarterback position. Is Jones’ time in New England over? Will Zappe get a chance to be the guy? Will the Patriots draft a QB this offseason? Did Rourke actually have a stellar practice, or was that an easy excuse to publicly justify the move?
It’s a long offseason. We’re sure to find out more in the coming weeks and months.