How Jerod Mayo Feels About Mac Jones’ Great Start With Jaguars

Mac Jones probably isn’t going to play much — if at all — for the Jaguars in the regular season, but he’s certainly impressing this summer.

Jones, who Jacksonville acquired from New England over the offseason, went a combined 25-for-34 for 308 yards with a pair of touchdowns in the Jaguars’ first two preseason games. The former Patriots quarterback is making a strong case to be Trevor Lawrence’s backup over eighth-year pro C.J. Beathard, who admittedly was “caught off guard” when the Jags traded for the 2021 first-round pick in mid-March.

Jerod Mayo never served as Jones’ head coach, but he was around the Alabama product for all three of the signal-caller’s seasons in Foxboro, Mass. The first-year Patriots coach was asked about Jones’ hot start in Jacksonville on Monday’s episode of WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.”

“Look, I wish nothing but the best for Mac,” Mayo said, as transcribed by Boston.com. “He’s having a good preseason and I’m happy for him. I always talk about (how) these are long-term relationships, you guys have heard me say that. I wish him nothing but the best — unless he’s playing the Patriots.”

One has to imagine Mayo hasn’t paid too much attention to how Jones has performed in the preseason. The linebacker-turned-coach has his own quarterback situation to worry about, as rookie Drake Maye seemingly is narrowing the gap on veteran Jacoby Brissett.

Jones and Mayo will be able to catch up Oct. 20 when the Patriots and the Jaguars meet for a Week 7 clash in London.