Mac Jones returned to social media Tuesday, three days after the New England Patriots’ blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs.
The Patriots quarterback hadn’t posted to Instagram since Aug. 30 — before the start of the 2021 regular season — but he resurfaced on the platform in wake of New England’s postseason exit to reflect on his rookie campaign.
Jones shared several on-field photos Tuesday, along with the caption:
What an unbelievable ride this first year has been. There’s no other group of guys I’d rather work with, grow with and compete with.
Cannot wait to play in front of the greatest fans in the world again! #GoPats #JustGettingStarted
Jones had a solid first year with the Patriots after being selected 15th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He beat out Cam Newton for New England’s starting QB job in the preseason, then performed well during the regular season, totaling 3,801 passing yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Most importantly, Jones led New England to a 10-7 record, good enough for second place in the AFC East and a trip to the NFL playoffs, where the Patriots fell to the Bills 47-17 on Saturday night in Buffalo.
Jones didn’t play well down the stretch as New England faltered, but the 23-year-old certainly deserves Rookie of the Year consideration and has plenty to build on ahead of the 2022 NFL season. He seems to have earned the trust of his coaches and teammates, suggesting the Patriots’ future is in good hands at the quarterback position.
