“Talented player,” said Bill Belichick about Jack Jones. As the New England Patriots parted ways with the cornerback last November, the now-former head coach added, “Just felt like it was time to move on.” And so Jones moved on to the Las Vegas Raiders, where he got firsthand experience playing against who he thinks is the greatest quarterback of all time: Patrick Mahomes. But as he reopened the age-old GOAT debate, he couldn’t help but mention Tom Brady… and where he fell behind Mahomes, who turned Jones “into a fan on the field.”
In his 20 seasons with the Patriots, Tom Brady went from being the 199th overall draft pick to being regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time, making him one of the biggest draft steals in history. Now that he’s hung up his cleats and is in line to become a part owner of the Raiders – a 7% stake, approximately $434 million – he might be looking to take his Super Bowl-winning expertise there. Considering his legacy, though, why did Jones pick Mahomes (someone who’s played only seven seasons so far)?
For Jack Jones, Patrick Mahomes is a “magician”
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Jones never got to play with Brady, but he did get to play against Mahomes. And the rivalry between the Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs is a bittersweet saga for the cornerback. Especially when it comes to Mahomes. Despite the fierce competition, Jones couldn’t suppress his admiration for Mahomes on Instagram Live, albeit with a hint of reluctance. “I hate the fact he plays for that team. But if we’re calling a spade a spade, Patrick Mahomes is the greatest quarterback to ever play the game,” he confessed.
When viewers argued with that statement, bringing up Brady, Jones delved into what, in his eyes, makes a quarterback truly exceptional. He outlined three cardinal virtues: prowess in the running game, precision in passing, and the art of facilitation. In his analysis, Lamar Jackson reigns supreme in agility, while Tom Brady’s quicksilver passing is unparalleled. He added, “The thing that Lamar Jackson doesn’t have is what Tom Brady has,” and vice-versa. But Patrick Mahomes is a class apart.
“When you go to Mahomes, this man has got the ability to run like Jackson, and then he passes the ball so efficiently. And his facilitating? I can’t make it up.” He combines Jackson’s agility and Brady’s surgical precision, coupled with an uncanny ability to orchestrate the game’s rhythm. What made Jack Jones believe this? The Raiders’ Christmas Day game against the Chiefs.
Going into the game, Jones had said, “It’s Patrick Mahomes we’ve gotta stop. The magician. You stop the magician, and the act is over.” And the Sin City side did that. The Raiders sacked Mahomes 4 times, tied for the second-highest record in the Chiefs quarterback’s career. Jones’ side finished with 10 hard hits, 2 defensive touchdowns, and a pick-six of Mahomes by the cornerback.
Despite winning that game 20-14, Jones said on the Instagram Live, “We were up… Patrick Mahomes almost came back by himself and beat us. There was one play [where] I turned into a fan on the field. That’s why I say Patrick Mahomes is the greatest quarterback ever.” Jack Jones may have cast his vote in favor of a rival football player as the greatest quarterback of all time, but he also defended one of his former teammates against undue criticisms.
The cornerback came to Mac Jones’ defense
Jack Jones, who played for the Pats in 2022 and part of the 2023 season, recently offered a candid perspective on the tumultuous tenure of Mac Jones with the team. On X, Jack Jones shared his insights, suggesting that Mac Jones’ newfound joy with the Jacksonville Jaguars might stem less from Belichick’s strict coaching but more from being finally rid of the Herculean expectations placed upon him in Foxborough.
“They said Mac look[s] happier in Jax … it was NE. it wasn’t Bill. [It was] NE fans,” he expressed, followed by a handful of thumbs-down emoticons and an “x1000000000000.” The allure of Jacksonville for Mac Jones is multifold, not least because it’s where he spent his formative years. At Jacksonville, he steps into a role shadowed by Trevor Lawrence, but here, the pressure isn’t quite as towering as the one he faced as the successor to the legendary Tom Brady in New England.
After an initial season that held the promise of playoffs, his performance plateaued, culminating in an underwhelming passer rating of 81.4 over the following two seasons. The Patriots, in a bid to recalibrate after a disappointing campaign that yielded only four wins, decided to part ways with both Joneses. Mac found a new beginning in Jacksonville, while Jack’s journey took him to the vibrant city of Las Vegas, signaling fresh starts for both, albeit under different circumstances and expectations.
Coming back to Jack Jones. In the same Instagram Live where he deemed Patrick Mahomes the greatest quarterback, he unleashed another attack on Patriots fans. When one of them brought up Jones’ former franchise and suggested they’re “better,” he expressed just what he thought about New England fans.
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#RAIDERS DB JACK JONES WENT OFF ON IG LIVE.
He is NOT HAPPY with #Patriots fans
😳😳😳
pic.twitter.com/spt5NoW7MZ— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 7, 2024
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With all said and done, it remains to be seen how both Mac and Jack Jones will navigate their first full seasons with their new teams.