Mac Jones inactive vs. Jets in likely end to his Patriots career

In what may signal the end of Bill Belichick’s tenure as the Patriots coach, there’s an indication that quarterback Mac Jones may also be exiting the franchise. Sunday’s regular-season closing match against the Jets saw 25-year-old Jones demoted to a reserve No.3 quarterback role, thus suggesting a potential termination of his engagement with the Patriots. Bailey Zappe replaced him at the helm with Nathan Rourke, a recent recruit from Jaguar’s practice squad, serving as his backup. Rourke had his football career with the Canadian Football League's BC Lions in 2021 and 2022.

This marks a disappointing downturn for Jones, who was a promising No. 15 overall pick in 2021 and earned a Pro Bowl spot in his rookie year, only to find himself considering new possibilities scant two years later. Jones had an impressive first-year record with ten victories against seven losses as the starting quarterback, amassing 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. His performance even earned the Patriots a wild card spot, though they lost to the Bills (47-17) in the initial playoff round.

Nevertheless, Jones experienced a subsequent slump in form, managing only 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 14 games the following season, culminating in a dismal 6-8 win-loss record. His performance further declined this season, leading to his frequent sidelining. Zappe became the starting quarterback on December 3 during a game against the Chargers.

Jones has one more year on his $15.5 million rookie contract, with the Patriots having the option to extend it into the fifth year. However, this seems more unlikely given the current circumstances, and it's plausible they'll explore interest from other teams for Jones during the off-season. As for Belichick, his future with the Patriots remains uncertain with the team missing playoffs for two consecutive seasons and the third in the last four years.