There are a parade of ex-Patriots working in media roles. But few have been more prescient about the team’s quarterback situation than Rob Ninkovich. He said Mac Jones was better suited for the starting job way back in early July, and has provided valuable intel along the way.
Contrary to the culture of silence in Foxboro, many former Patriots from their Super Bowl years enjoy prominent TV analyst roles. Some of them, including Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi, also endorsed Jones over Cam Newton.
But Ninkovich was supporting the Alabama standout way back on July 2, long before training camp began. After playing with Tom Brady for seven seasons, Ninkovich said he knew the Patriots’ offense would work better with Jones under center.
“One completely different offense with Cam Newton, and the other with Mac Jones,” he said on ESPN. “They’re going to be better suited with Mac Jones under center.”
That wasn’t a mainstream opinion at the time, at least in national media circles. Cam Newton is revered around the league and a well-respected veteran. When Bill Belichick surprisingly re-signed Newton in March, scores of pundits praised the move.
To be fair, Ninkovich has not been right all of the time. There was a period this summer in which he guaranteed both quarterbacks would play as part of some two-package scheme.
But hey, at least he figured that Jones would be on the field!
While Bill Belichick has played first-round rookies throughout his career — WEEI’s Andy Hart has done a nice job debunking that — it was unprecedented for him to select a rookie quarterback in the first round. Conventional wisdom said Belichick, who curiously lavished Newton with praise at seemingly every turn, would stick with his favored veteran — at least to begin the season.
Newton starting all three preseason games reinforced that narrative.
But Ninkovich kept pushing for Jones — and adding supportive notes from Patriots sources. In mid-August, Ninkovich said he was hearing Patriots coaches were “very, very, very” impressed with Jones’ ability to take control of the offense.
Then came the bombshell Newton-Jones report: the rookie was helping the former MVP learn the playbook.
"From everything that I understand now, Mac was basically helping Cam learn the playbook," Ninkovich said. "So, imagine that. Learn that. Learn that right now. Absorb it. Learn it. Because Mac was having less M.E.’s — mental errors, that is what M.E. is in football, mental errors. He was having less mental errors in having a better understanding of the offense. We didn’t see Cam run any two-minute. We didn’t see him run any no-huddle. … You have to run no-huddle. That’s vital.”
It is a telling observation that might actually unlock the mystery behind Newton’s release.
That’s what’s separated Ninkovich in recent weeks: his reporting. With a bigger role at ESPN and national radio work, expect his media profile to keep rising.