Brian Hoyer's role on the 2021-22 New England Patriots has less to do with throwing passes and much more to do with mentoring rookie quarterback Mac Jones. And while Jones has proven on-field that he was worth the Patriots' No. 15 overall selection in 2021 and the starting job, Hoyer has one criticism of his character.
According to the veteran, Jones takes things a little too seriously.
"I'm telling him, 'Dude, you've got to smile sometimes. This is supposed to be fun,'" Hoyer told reporters Thursday, per Ryan Hannable of WEEI.
Hoyer elaborated, explaining that he views Jones as "a very mature 23-year-old. However, his business-first attitude probably is what has helped him lead the Patriots through a murky start to the season.
"It's been great," Hoyer said. "The thing I have been so impressed with him is he's constantly trying to learn, constantly trying to get better -- no matter what the situation. Whether it's after a game, in a practice and you can see the wheels are always turning. He's always thinking what can he do better, how can he do it better."
Thinking back on it, Jones did have a pretty Bill Belichick-ian press conference after the Patriots' season-opening loss to the Miami Dolphins, when he blamed himself for the result despite impressing the opponent as well as NFL executives.
Statistically, Jones is faring decently -- and much better than the other rookie quarterbacks in the NFL, like the Jacksonville Jaguars' highly-touted Trevor Lawrence and New York Jets starter Zach Wilson. Jones' 70.4 completion percentage ranks fourth in the league, and his 1,779 passing yards slot him ninth overall.
So clearly, he's doing something right. And for what it's worth, Jones credited Hoyer as a "really good mentor" when he spoke to reporters earlier Thursday.
