The interception Mac Jones threw on "Monday Night Football" did not, in fact, deflect off the wire supporting ESPN's SkyCam, according to the network.
ESPN released a statement Wednesday saying a widely circulated video clip of the pass in question "created a false impression."
"The pass from Mac Jones did not hit ESPN's SkyCam wiring," the statement read. "A video circulating created that false impression, but in reality the SkyCam wire was more than 15 feet above the ball and our SkyCam system followed all NFL protocols."
An ESPN spokesperson said even slight contact with one of the SkyCam wires would have caused the camera's video feed to wobble or bounce, and that no such disruption occurred on this play.
Jones was attempting to hit tight end Jonnu Smith down the right sideline, but his high-arcing, ill-advised throw was picked off by Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker. That proved to be Jones' final play of the night, with rookie Bailey Zappe replacing him and playing the rest of the game as the Patriots lost 33-14 at Gillette Stadium.
Head coach Bill Belichick said Jones, who'd missed the previous three games with a high ankle sprain, was removed as part of a planned rotation and not for poor performance. According to Belichick, the quarterback would have reentered the game at some point after halftime had the score not gotten "out of hand."
Belichick has yet to announce whether Jones or Zappe will start this Sunday against the New York Jets.
