Bill Belichick Once Again Refuses To Back Mac Jones Over Bailey Zappe

FOXBORO, Mass. -- Bill Belichick still won't take the bait. And at this point, it might be safe to safe to say he never will.

Since Mac Jones went down with an injury last season, Belichick never has fully endorsed the 2021 first-round pick as New England's franchise quarterback. He fanned the "Zappe Fever" flames on multiple occasions and refused to rule out a quarterback competition whenever asked about the topic during the offseason.

And the trend has continued during training camp. During a SiriusXM NFL Radio hit Monday afternoon, the Patriots head coach said he'd give Jones and Bailey Zappe a "chance to compete" this summer. And Belichick seemingly stood by those comments when asked about them before Tuesday's practice.

Check out this transcript:

Reporter: "Is that implying that the quarterback position is kind of open for a competition during camp?"

Belichick: "Everybody is out here competing, all 90 guys. That's what we're all here for is to go out and compete."

Reporter: "So Mac Jones isn't necessarily your Day 1 starter?"

Belichick: "Everybody is out here competing. Everybody is out here competing, that's what everybody is doing."

Jones was the clear top quarterback over Zappe during the spring, and nothing changed over the first six training camp practices. Until further notice, there is no real quarterback controversy in New England.

Why, then, won't Belichick just stand by Jones? Is he simply trying to motivate the third-year quarterback, or is there a chance that Zappe gets meaningful reps with the first-team offense once joint practices start?

The answer might be a bit of both. We'll just have to wait and see.

But even if Jones eventually is named the Patriots' Week 1 starter, it feels inevitable that Belichick won't say anything that indicates true job security. So, expect this dance to continue for the foreseeable future.