Patriots Leaving Door Open for Mac Jones to Be Week 1 Starter

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones was impressive in the team’s preseason opener against the Washington Football Team last week, and he may have put himself in the conversation to start in Week 1 of the regular season. 

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has yet to name a starter, and veteran Cam Newton explained that he hasn’t been promised anything when it comes to the regular season. 

“Y’all sitting up here asking silly questions to me and I’m looking at y’all with the same thing. I don’t know what y’all want me to say,” Newton said when asked if he was starting Week 1. “You know, you know that. You know he hasn’t said that, so for you to just ask the question, it is what it is.

“So every single day I’m coming out here with the intention to just get better. That’s the only thing I can do. I can control that. But as far as somebody else’s analogy or interpretation for what Week One is, I’m trying to focus on what tomorrow brings, and making adjustments in tonight’s meetings.”

Newton, who threw for 49 yards on four completions in the opener, signed a one-year deal to return to the Patriots this season, but the team later drafted Jones in the first round. of the NFL Draft.

That leaves Newton as a potential lame-duck quarterback, as he needs to hold off Jones by playing well enough for the Patriots to win and have a reason to keep the rookie on the sidelines. 

“I don’t take [your questions] personal. I just want you guys to understand, everything y’all know, I know,” Newton said. “There’s no hidden motives or things like that. I do know those things like that, I can’t worry about. Because each and every day, I don’t necessarily care about who’s starting, I mostly care about making sure I put the best product out there for me, and I know Mac is feeling the same way, I know Brian [Hoyer] is feeling the same way and everybody else, going down each and every position.

“As far as Week One, we’ve got so much to worry about prior to Week 1. And that’s where my focus is right now.”

Jones is currently +900 to win the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award on WynnBET. He is behind all of the other rookie quarterbacks (Trey Lance, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawrence), but he could move up the odds list if he wins the job ahead of Week 1. 

In his preseason debut, Jones completed 13 of his 19 passes for 87 yards to help lead the Patriots to a 22-13 win.

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