Ever since Tom Brady‘s departure from New England, the Patriots have been fighting an uphill battle. Recent developments showcased tensions flaring up between the Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s successor Mac Jones. Reports even claimed that Mac Jones was being shipped by Belichick, as former Patriots’ legend chimed in on the ongoing chaos. But how ready is Mac Jones to play for his side? Is he still having trouble with the head coach? Let’s see!

While many speculations and rumors concerning Jones’ future have taken over the New England locker room, both Belichick and Jones have refrained from divulging details. Belichick did hint at entertaining every possible alternative while putting together a starting lineup, there is still no clarity when it comes to Mac Jones. Amidst all the chaos, a  particular sighting of Mac Jones did come across as a step in the right direction.

Is Mac Jones back?

The first year, Mac Jones had with the Patriots, showed glimpses of the future, but then his offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels walked away and paved the way toward trouble with Bill Belichick. From day 1, players felt that the offense was trailing but everyone trusted Belichick to get the job done.

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The relationship between Jones and Belichick worsened as Jones reportedly sought coaching advice from outside the Patriots’ building. This coupled with Jones’ on-field outbursts and turnovers only infuriated Belichick further.

Despite all the drama, the Patriots welcomed back a chunk of their roster for the start of the 2023 off-season workouts, and Mac Jones was spotted. Along with Jones, wide receiver DeVante Parker, defensive end Deatrich Wise, Jr, tight end Hunter Henry and hybrid running back Ty Montgomery were also present at the venue.

With all the ongoing trade rumors and his volatile relationship with Bill Becilick, Jones has been busy preparing for the upcoming season. He was also spotted last week working on his game with fellow quarterback Bailey Zappe. Mac Jones seems entirely committed to the Patriots as he was one of the few athletes who remained in Boston for the offseason, making occasional visits to the Gillette Stadium.

The Bill-Jones fiasco

While the Jones- Belichick relationship might be dicey right now, Mac Jones has one supporter in the Patriots camp. Turns out Mac Jones shares a special relationship with his offensive coordinator, Bill O’Brien. The current Patriots’ OC donned the same hat for Jones’ alma mater, Alabama. Funnily enough, it was Jones who helped O’Brien get comfortable with the Crimson Tide offense before joining the Patriots as the No 15 pick.

Several reports even suggest that Mac Jones played a pivotal role in luring Bill O’Brien to New England. ESPN’s Mike Reiss spoke on the matter, “Some close to the Alabama program, where O’Brien served as OC the past two seasons, believe Jones’ presence is one of the top reasons the job appealed to O’Brien.”

While both Jones and O’Brien have voiced their optimism about working with each other, Belichick might be a huge hindrance to their plans. The Jones-O’Brien connection stands in stark contrast to a recent report from ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio that Belichick “shopped” Jones on the trade market this offseason.

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