Patriots Rumors: Bill Belichick Told Coaches 'Not to Be Too Hard on' Mac Jones

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones struggled during the 2022 season, taking a step back from his impressive 2021 rookie campaign that resulted in a Pro Bowl selection.

However, even when Jones struggled, the New England coaching staff was never too hard on the signal-caller, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe:

"Belichick instructed the coaching staff not to be too hard on Jones last season, according to the same sources. If Jones made a mistake or needed to be corrected, instead of yelling at him, the coaching staff generally took a more constructive approach."

Jones led the Patriots to a 6-8 record last season and completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 2,997 yards and 14 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 14 games. It should also be noted that having a combination of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge leading the offense didn't help him much.

For comparison, he completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 17 games during his rookie season, and New England finished with a 10-7 record.

Had the coaching staff been a little tougher on Jones in 2022, perhaps he would have been motivated to improve on his poor performances. After all, he did say in December that he wanted to be coached harder.

Having played his college football at Alabama under Nick Saban, Jones is no stranger to tough coaching. The 24-year-old succeeded with the Crimson Tide, too, leading the team to a national title during the 2020 season.

So, maybe being a little tougher on Jones in 2023, which will be his third NFL season, could pay dividends for the Patriots, who have not impressed since Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.