Mac Jones piloted the New England Patriots to the playoffs in his rookie season. And though that season ended in disappointment, the Patriots’ longest-tenured player believes brighter days are ahead with Jones behind center.
Speaking after the Patriots’ 47-17 wild-card playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, longtime special teams captain Matthew Slater said he has complete confidence in Jones as New England’s franchise quarterback.
“I think the future is bright for this organization with that young man,” Slater told reporters in Buffalo. “Not just his play on the field, but I think the man that he is, the character that he possesses. He’s the type of man that you hope to build around.”
The Patriots were resoundingly outplayed in every facet Saturday night, but Jones performed respectably in his postseason debut, going 24-for-38 for 232 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions in the 30-point loss.
The first-round draft pick saw his accuracy and effectiveness wane in December and January, but overall, he enjoyed an impressive debut campaign. Jones completed 67.6% of his passes for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns with 13 interceptions and a passer rating of 92.5, easily outperforming his fellow first-year signal-callers.
Jones’ play helped the Patriots return to the postseason after a one-year, post-Tom Brady hiatus, though their playoff run ended after one historically lopsided game.
“I know my kids and I will be watching him for a long time to come,” Slater said. “I’m excited about where this organization is going to be in the future with him, and it’s certainly been an honor for me to play alongside of him and see him grow over the course of the year. Patriots Nation, they should be excited about having No. 10 as their quarterback.”
It’s unclear whether Slater — who first raved about Jones’ character in training camp — will continue to share a locker room with the young QB. The 36-year-old was noncommittal when asked whether he plans to retire, saying he didn’t want to “disrespect the team” by talking about himself.
“Obviously, I’m closer to the end,” he said. “We all know that. I’ll pray about it and have some conversations and make a final decision.”
