As much as old-guard Patriots like Vince Wilfork and Julian Edelman seem to take issue with Mac Jones' emotional displays on the sidelines in recent weeks, one of the team's current elder statesmen says he doesn't need the young quarterback to change a thing.
On WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" Friday morning, veteran safety Devin McCourty went beyond simply downplaying the scrutiny around Jones and actively took up for the beleaguered second-year passer on behalf of the team.
"I think a lot has been made of different things that have nothing to do with the actual guys in the locker room. I told Mac that before: to be a leader, you got to be yourself," he said. "One thing I learned from Coach [Greg] Schiano was to be a leader, you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable. That means at times, people are going to question your leadership, question what you do.
"To me, that's okay, because the only people you should care about are the people you're serving, the people in the locker room, the coaches. That's what this team is built on. Inside our locker room, there haven't been issues."
Some might wonder if there are some cracks in that argument given Trent Brown's and Kendrick Bourne's purported social media activity and Bill Belichick perhaps jabbing Jones through the media about his arm strength and job status.
But the Patriots' locker room still seems to stand behind Jones even as he vents during games about offensive mishaps. What's more: McCourty, who also found himself named a captain in his second season in 2011, said he doesn't need Jones to pipe down simply because he's a younger player on the team.
"I think what Mac has been doing this year has been awesome," he said. "Same thing with how he came in and started and played as a rookie. I tell him all the time, this team and the offense, they're going to move the way he moves. They're going to go off of him. That's the thing about playing quarterback that's easy when you're young, but that's what comes with that position."
From that standpoint, perhaps the Patriots could use a more collected Jones down the stretch, especially when the offense gets down in the red zone. This offense has been shooting itself in the foot in key situations and appears to be very conscious of that fact; Jones can help steady that ship with a steadier approach.
But Jones also can't change who he is just to make outsiders happy. In the end, he has to play with the emotion and intensity that got him to the NFL. How he channels that passion over the next three weeks could have a big role in where the Patriots end up this season.
