Bill Belichick annually emphasizes that voluntary spring workouts, OTAs and even mini-camp are teaching environments and not the cut-throat world of competitive evaluations that come during training camp.
Generally, that’s all about Patriots' coaches teaching New England newcomers and returning veterans alike the terminology, schemes, nuances and systems that are the foundation of football life in Foxborough.
But this year, that teaching is apparently more of a two-way street between players and coaches. At least that’s the case when it comes to one very important player and his very suspect new coach.
While Mac Jones is embarking on the critical development period heading into his important second NFL season, the quarterback who led the Patriots back to the playoffs as a Pro Bowl rookie is having to spend at least some of his time teaching.
With former longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels having moved on to become head coach of the Raiders, Bill Belichick’s retooled offensive staff in New England includes former special teams boss/Giants head coach Joe Judge apparently serving as Jones’ quarterbacks coach.
Given Judge’s limited offensive background and coaching work, that’s forcing Jones to be both the pupil and the student this spring.
“He has knowledge that is very beneficial to me as a quarterback and obviously I'm going to learn with him, that's the goal, is to kind of teach each other and move along and take what he knows and then take the experiences that I have and combine them and work together as a great team,” Jones said after New England first OTA session on Monday.
Jones and Judge having to “teach each other” may be the “goal” specific to these Patriots at this point in time, but it’s certainly far from ideal.
Titans’ quarterback Ryan Tannehill seemingly made major waves in NFL circles this offseason when the 33-year-old veteran of nine professional seasons had the audacity to say, “I don’t think it’s my job to mentor” Tennessee rookie QB Malik Willis.
Whether you appreciated the tone or tenor of such a statement from a veteran team leader, factually it’s 100 percent accurate. It’s not Tannehill’s job to mentor Willis. Players play and coaches coach.
How then in the land where Do Your Job is both a management mantra as well as a slogan for T-shirts, did it become Jones’ job to teach his coach how to do his job?
Make no mistake, it shouldn’t be. But here we are and it apparently very much is.
This isn’t to say that NFL players never can or do teach coaches. They very much can and do. Heck, veteran Hall of Fame talents like Randy Moss, Junior Seau and others clearly taught the great Belichick himself a thing or two in their time in New England.
But Jones isn’t a proven veteran. He isn’t to the point where he has his role, job and development so much under control that he can or should be utilizing time, effort and energy coaching up his coach. Jones should be looking out for No. 1-0, not spreading himself any more thin than he needs to be.
This is all so backwards. So wrong. Seemingly so unfair to Jones.
But here were are. The first day of something even slightly resembling a football practice at Gillette Stadium and Jones is admitting that he’s having to “teach” Judge how to do his job.
No, this doesn’t mean the sky is falling in Patriot Nation. Nor that Jones, Judge and the rest of the offense are doomed for failure.
Belichick doesn’t have to turn in his GOAT ID card.
Nope.
But it can’t possibly be argued that this is the best way to do things, the most efficient and fair way to do things at this critical juncture in Jones’ development.
Jones has his hands full with his own job, being the best pupil he can be, never mind having to also be the teacher and help Judge do his job, too.
But as Belichick would say, it is what it is.
Of course Belichick would also probably tell you this is all in the best interest of his New England football team.
It’s up to you to decide whether you actually believe him.