Like many great football success stories it began someplace iconic and all-American: The hardware store.
Appearing Saturday on The Fitzy & Mego Show, Mac Jones’ Pop Warner coach in Florida, Eric Yost, told a story of a recent encounter with Mac’s parents and their desire to see him land where he did.
“I ran into his dad at the hardware store," Yost said. "We talked a lot, and they were really, really wanting to go with the Patriots.”
And now their wish, and Mac’s, has been fulfilled.
Yost, who had the chance to observe and coach Jones for seven years during his Pop Warner days, said Jones was an excellent multi-sport athlete from an early age. "Football, baseball, soccer, tennis, and always was a winner at everything." He also attributed the development of Mac’s pocket presence, a hallmark of his title-winning time at Alabama, to something else very American and simple: childhood play.
“I think what kinda gave me the affinity to him was he was like a park rat, those things we don’t have in kids these days where they know how to play freeze tag and get away from people, chase and hide-and-seek," Yost said. "Mac was natural at all those moves. So at an early age you’d see him step up in the pocket for us and make some throws for us that were unbelievable for a seven, eight, nine...year old.”
Yost went on to describe Jones as “a very competitive kid”, and offered a surprising pro athlete comp to Jones as far as his will to win, “I think some people related his passion to (John) McEnroe. He hates losing.” And as far as comparisons to the QB who made himself a legend in Foxboro over twenty years?
“Mac has always wanted to be a Patriot. He was always a huge Tom Brady fan and always emulated Brady," the coach added.
Now he’ll have a chance to be compared to his idol, something it seems Jones would relish, and perhaps even establish his own legacy. Could be the start of an American success story, the kind you’d relay to a friend at the hardware store.
(Listen to the full interview below, which begins at the 16:30 mark ...)