Athletes find motivation in many forms. And while many try to forget the past when it comes to failures, some hold on to it to not only learn but potentially propel them to greater heights one day...as is the case with Mac Jones and a curious photo he hangs in his locker.
Friday night, following the Patriots 20-10 preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers, Mac Jones was asked about the curious black & white photo that hangs in his locker, which people first noticed thanks to a tweet about Lil’Jordan Humphrey, with the photo catching the eye of many on social media.
Jones elaborated a bit on the photo, him walking off in defeat last January following the 47-17 Wild Card defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Said Jones. “I’ve always been a big fan of having motivational stuff in your locker,”, adding that the photo is, “...last year, but I think it’s motivation to just come in here and work every day.”
The Patriots second year QB also has two well known passages displayed in his locker; the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, and of all things, “The Man In The Arena” passage from Teddy Roosevelt’s famous “Citizenship in a Republic” speech. The latter is well known in Pats Nation as Tom Brady has often cited it, even going so far as to use said title for his 10-part ESPN docuseries on his Super Bowl appearances. Jones said he owes his appreciation of those well-known words to his father. “That’s a big shoutout to my dad because he kind of gave me those when I was probably like 6 years old and kind of explained everything to me, and as I grew, I continued to just enjoy that.”
Known as an intense competitor, it comes as no surprise that Jones uses his past to help fuel his efforts to overcome his failures. And while many have been quick to try and compare Jones to Brady on the field, the two quarterbacks’ appreciation of the same inspiring passage might be their most direct connection to date. Now we’ll see if Jones can experience some of the success that followed in Brady’s second year in New England, and beyond.
