FOXBOROUGH -- Learning the Patriots offense certainly isn't easy, but rookie quarterback Mac Jones is doing everything he can to pick it up.
Just ask veteran Brian Hoyer.
"I get text messages from him at 6 a.m. He’s doing a great job," Hoyer said following Friday's practice.
Hoyer noted Jones is going to make mistakes, especially going up against the Patriots defense, but he's asking all the right questions and doing what he needs to do in order to get better.
“I said this in the spring, it’s not easy playing quarterback in the NFL," he said. "It’s not easy to play it here. He works his butt off and he cares a lot. I am just there if he has a question, or if I see something that I can bring up with my past experiences and help him out because like I said, we’re starting in the toughest part of the field against what I would call arguably the toughest red-area defense in the league. It’s not going to be easy. You’re not going to go out there and go 9-for-10. Working one day at a time and you can see how much he puts into it."
As for Hoyer himself, it's clear he views his role differently than some of his other stints with the team. He's passing on his knowledge more so than competing for a starting job.
“I would say ever changing, especially at the quarterback position," he said. "Only one player can be out there, so for me obviously being the most experienced in the system trying to share that knowledge and then when I have the chance to go out and play, just play the best I can.”
Jones and Cam Newton are competing for the starting job.
