FOXBORO, Mass. -- New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was effusive in his praise for former teammate and current Indianapolis Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore prior to facing off at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
Gilmore, though he only overlapped with Jones for a few short months in New England, left a lasting impression on the signal-caller. Jones referred to Gilmore as a "premier cornerback" and "all-time dude" when speaking with reporters before the Week 9 game.
Following the Patriots' 26-3 victory over Gilmore and the Colts, the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year was asked about the second-year quarterback and took the time to repay Jones with compliments.
"Same," Gilmore responded when asked if he's seen any differences from Jones' successful rookie campaign to the current season. "He's a great player. (He's) making plays, great decisions with the ball. They ran the ball, (he's) managing the game.
"He's a good player," Gilmore added of the 2021 first-rounder. "He's going to get better each and every year."
Gilmore and the Colts walked off the field following an underwhelming performance, one that prevented the veteran corner from fully enjoying his first trip back to Foxboro. Gilmore, as Patriots fans will recall, was traded to the Carolina Panthers last October, ending his four-year tenure in New England.
However, it wasn't as if Jones and the offense had much to do with Gilmore's disappointing return. New England's offense continued to struggle with Jones playing behind a leaky offensive line. The Patriots scored just one offensive touchdown in the contest, and that came on a two-play drive after New England's special teams set the offense up on the Indianapolis 2-yard line following a game-altering blocked punt. While Gilmore expressed how he hasn't seen any differences in Jones from 2021 to 2022, many others have -- though any regression probably is more related to the offense surrounding the Alabama product.
Jones and the Patriots now enter their Week 10 bye with questions to answer as it pertains to the offense. New England will return for a crucial Week 11 rematch against the New York Jets in Foxboro.
