The New England Patriots haven’t seen a spark like this on special teams in a long, long time. After allowing the Carolina Panthers to open the scoring, Marcus Jones exploded onto the scene with a game-changing punt return touchdown that shifted momentum instantly.

Jones, who primarily plays as a defensive player, showed a different side of himself. The punt returner may not be a star on defense, but his special teams game is now Pro Bowl-worthy and a headache for opponents. So, the head coach, Mike Vrabel, left the door open for more dynamic roles for Jones.

When asked if the Patriots would consider using Jones on offense, Vrabel said, “We’d consider anything that would help us win and score points.” Mike Vrabel didn’t rule out using Marcus Jones on offense after the cornerback shattered a Patriots punt return record. In the first half alone, Jones racked up 148 punt return yards. And he recorded two huge returns, one an 87-yard touchdown and a 61-yard return, setting up a touchdown. 

His 148 first-half punt return yards rank ninth in NFL history for a single half since 1991, and he finished with 167 total punt return yards, shattering a decades-old Patriots franchise record previously held by Mike Haynes since 1976.

The head coach didn’t hold back his praise during the postgame press conference. When asked about Jones’ impact, Vrabel said, “I think that’s what we’ve been looking for…To be able to do that on the punt return, fantastic effort by Marcus and everybody else out there.”

Despite Jones not being the biggest player on the field, Vrabel highlighted his play strength and vision. “You have to be fearless at some level to catch that punt and know that you’re going to make the first guy miss…I think he kind of just — it’s just a natural skill.”

Jones’ remarkable return is now tied with Julian Edelman for the most 60-yard punt returns in Patriots history, with four such electrifying plays. Jones’ second punt return in Sunday’s game set up the Patriots deep in Panthers territory, leading to a one-yard rushing touchdown by Antonio Gibson. But even after lighting up Gillette Stadium with his electrifying punt returns, Jones remained humble.

Marcus Jones’ mindset behind his record-breaking returns

In the postgame interview, Jones admitted he didn’t even know he broke the franchise record until someone told him in the locker room. “Yeah, people have been telling me, and I was just like, man, that’s crazy. It’s a blessing for sure. But whenever I was out there, I wasn’t thinking about that. It was just like you’re just out there trying to put the team in the best spot possible,” Jones said.

When asked about his knack for eluding multiple tacklers when he peeled away from four Panthers on his first 87-yard return, Jones credited his father. “I was blessed enough to end up having a father that he taught me the situation of catching punts and everything. So, I always had an offensive mind as well. So I’m kind of fearless back there and everything. That’s kind of like my mentality. I’m trying to return everything.”

The record he broke was once held by a Hall of Famer, Mike Haynes, making the achievement that much sweeter. Jones simply acknowledged the weight of the moment with a shrug: “Yeah, that’s crazy.” It’s this team-first mindset that keeps Jones grounded despite his rapid rise to prominence as a special teams star.