Mac Jones reportedly filed a trademark for his initials and jersey number — “MJ10” — in a move that evokes thoughts of Tom Brady’s “TB12” moniker.
Skip Bayless on Thursday was beside himself regarding the subject, calling out the Patriots rookie quarterback for having the “audacity” to make such a business decision this early in his NFL career.
“The audacity of what Mac Jones just did in the middle of his rookie campaign in New England is just stunning to me,” Bayless said on FS1’s “Undisputed.” “He has now exposed himself as not that quiet, humble kid from Alabama via Jacksonville. No, he’s Baker Mayfield. He might be beyond Baker Mayfield. That’s who he is.
“The audacity and the bad idea of this. Let’s start with the initials: Those two initials should be retired from all time. Nobody can ever use those initials because there was only one ‘MJ,’ as in Michael Jordan.”
Bayless, a longtime Brady and Jordan supporter, probably is leaning into the take a bit, as it’s hard to imagine anyone being genuinely upset about “MJ10” merchandise potentially hitting shelves.
Still, the trademark speaks to Jones’ growing popularity — not just in New England, but across the league — while leading the Patriots to success so far in 2021. He was a standout college QB at Alabama, but the 23-year-old is on the fast track to NFL superstardom, so long as he continues on the current trajectory.
“You’ve got to come up with something else,” Bayless argued. “And then the audacity to follow in the footsteps of the GOAT before you (Tom Brady), because he was ‘TB12,’ and that was his trademark, that was his calling card. ‘I’m TB12.’ He coined that. So now this kid’s gonna be ‘MJ10?’ “
Wouldn’t it be something if “MJ10,” leading the Patriots, and “TB12,” leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ultimately squared off in Super Bowl LVI? Maybe we shouldn’t rule it out.
The matchup almost certainly would shatter viewership and betting records, while also likely providing a nice boost to each quarterback’s future merchandise sales.
