NFL Exec: Patriots' Mac Jones Would Succeed Like Tua Tagovailoa on Dolphins Offense

NFL quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones have gone on divergent professional paths since both players were at Alabama together.

Tagovailoa has been thriving with the Miami Dolphins over the past two years under head coach Mike McDaniel, while Jones, who is playing under his third offensive coordinator in three seasons, has embarked on an up-and-down career with the New England Patriots.

Despite the different starts, one unnamed NFC executive expressed faith in Jones and believes that he "would have similar results" to Tagovailoa if he was in the latter team's offense.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated relayed the remarks.

"I feel like what Miami put around Tua is very similar to what they both had at Alabama," the executive said.

"And at Bama, you see what they were able to do. Mac is the complete opposite: He did benefit with the weapons, so the question was if he could elevate people around him. And [because of what's around him], we still don't know. I feel like there'd be similar results if the roles were reversed. Mac would have similar results in that offense, in Miami."

Tagovailoa has clearly benefitted from some superstar talent around him in wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and that trio helped Miami earn a 24-17 road win over Jones and the Pats on Sunday evening. Since 2022, Tagovailoa has thrown for 29 touchdowns, and he's No. 1 in the NFL with 715 receiving yards this year.

Jones has talent around him as well, but only one player (offseason acquisition JuJu Smith-Schuster) who caught an NFL pass from him has ever made a Pro Bowl.

He excelled in Alabama when given the chance, throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2020. Alabama went a perfect 13-0 that season with DeVonta Smith, John Metchie and Waddle leading the receiving core while Najee Harris dominated the backfield. The Crimson Tide went undefeated en route to a national title.

Jones got off to a hot start in 2021 by finishing second in the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year race and even made a Pro Bowl too, but he regressed in 2022 as the Pats' offense under two coaches with a background in defense (Matt Patricia) and special teams (Joe Judge) regressed.

He's doing better in 2023 under ex-Pats OC Bill O'Brien, who has returned after 12 years away from the team. Through two games, Jones has completed 68.8 percent of his passes for four touchdowns (two picks) and 547 yards, including 316 against the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.

Jones and the Pats will look to get in the win column for the first time this year on Sunday when they visit the New York Jets.