If you’ve been on social media this week you’ve probably seen the clip making the rounds of Patriots rookie QB Mac Jones winking at a Dolphins defender just before a snap in last Sunday evening’s season opener at Gillette Stadium.
In the clip, Jones is looking directly at the camera and in the direction of a couple former Patriots who now reside on the Miami defense, safety Jason McCourty and linebacker Elandon Roberts.
Wednesday afternoon in his weekly press conference with the gathered media at Gillette Stadium, Jones was asked about the wink.
“That was just kind of fun and games,” the normally pretty serious rookie said with a smile. “It was just in the middle of the play. They actually like called out our play. So I was like, ‘Ah, nice catch.’ But anyways it was just fun and games.”
It’s probably not surprising that Miami might sniff out a Patriots play call. Not only do the Dolphins have former Patriots like McCourty, Roberts and Adam Butler on the field, but the coaching staff includes former Patriots defensive play caller Brian Flores as head coach and former New England secondary coach Josh Boyer as defensive coordinator.
Jones said he did not change the play from what was called and called out by the Dolphins. In the end the play resulted in a stuffed run for the Patriots, who went on to lose the game 17-16.
‘No, I mean I just stuck to what I’m supposed to do,” Jones said with a chuckle. “Sometimes they don’t know the answers either.”
