Devin McCourty says he’s still undecided about playing next season. But the longtime Patriots’ cornerback remains one of Bill Belichick’s top lieutenants.
On Monday, McCourty kicked off a new week by throwing water on the suggestion that Jones isn’t up to the task of being the team’s franchise quarterback — both on and off the field.
"What I love about Mac is that Mac came into a leadership role as a quarterback and he speaks to what he thinks,” said McCourty on Good Morning Football.
There were multiple reports last season about Jones’ apparent faltering relationship with Belichick, due to disagreements over Jones’ rehab for his high ankle sprain and the young quarterback’s reported habit of complaining to friends around the league about his situation. It’s obvious Jones didn’t love the Matt Patricia and Joe Judge experience: he frequently showed them up on the field when he was upset with play calls or how timeouts were handled.
After an especially ugly string of December games — which included Jones seemingly yelling at Patricia on the sideline, acting histrionically when the Patriots mismanaged their timeouts against the Raiders, and trying to slide in front of Bengals cornerback Eli Apple on a fumble return — there were anonymous reports that he “rubbed people the wrong way” in New England.
McCourty denied that, too.
“I think what people don't always understand, in our locker room, Bill pushes that,” he said. “We’re in the captains meeting every week, [and he'll say] 'If you don't like something, tell us and we'll throw it out.' Because what's the point of players going out there and saying, as soon as that call comes in, 'I know we hate this call but ...' No one wants to be out there with that.”
In other words, McCourty is saying that Belichick wants his players to be vocal. There was ample discussion last season that coaches preferred backup Bailey Zappe’s amenability to Jones’ assertiveness.
But in defense of the chattering class, Belichick hasn’t publicly supported Jones in a long time. He initially refused to endorse Jones as the team’s long-term starter when he was out with his injury, and at his end-of-season presser, he demurred when asked if Jones would be the Patriots’ QB going forward.
“Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league,” said Belichick.
There is an irony to Belichick when it comes to fanning media speculation. He’s free to do it all he wants: “we know Tom’s age and contract situation;” initially throwing Brady under the bus during Deflategate; not asserting that Jones will be the starting quarterback.
But he doesn’t want anybody else to partake in the fun.
McCourty knows how to play cleanup. While he acknowledged that Jones can be vocal during meetings, he framed it as ordinary behavior.
“I think some of the rumbling that always comes out – we always talk about this – ‘Sources say Mac Jones rubbing people the wrong way.’ Who? Did he rub somebody the wrong way in a meeting? Probably before,” he said.
Later in the interview, McCourty focused on the two fall guys, Patricia and Judge. He said Jones will greatly benefit from playing under Bill O’Brien, a real offensive coach.
“He's going to have stability around him," said McCourty. "You get to work with Josh McDaniels, who I think is one of the best offensive minds in this league, your rookie year. And then you get Matty P [Matt Patricia], with a mixture of Joe Judge, with Coach Belichick -- all guys who were new to calling the actual offense. ... It's just so much movement, so much change, and it's only your second year.”
McCourty added the “sky is the limit” for Jones, which in fairness, seems a little grandiose.
But that’s besides the point. Now, whenever reports trickle out about Jones’ seeming tenuous standing, the deniers can point to McCourty’s vociferous on-the-record defense of the ex-Alabama standout.
McCourty’s defensive abilities aren’t just limited to the gridiron. At this juncture, that’s probably just as important to Belichick.
