Many NFL fans and analysts believe the NFL GOAT Tom Brady raised the expectation bar to such an extent that the New England Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick now can’t stand poor performance from any quarterback. Since TB12 left the franchise, the HC has yet to find the next signal-caller to bank on for another golden dynasty.
Following the “Fire Canada” chant, now the “Fire Bill” chant has also started in the NFL world amid Belichick’s sacking rumor. Meanwhile, the former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has suggested the team’s current quarterback Mac Jones to leave the Patriots and start a new journey with another NFL team.
Gronkowski’s bold proposal to Mac Jones
Mac Jones is 212 of 324 for 2,031 yards along with 10 touchdowns this season. He is also the first QB to hit 10 interceptions this season. His turnover issue is getting so worse that during the Patriots’ recent game against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany, the team’s offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien was spotted screaming at the signal-caller on the bench following a flip attempt in the third quarter.
The third-year veteran was even earlier being embroiled in an altercation with Belichick after failing to score a touchdown during a two-minute drill. The scenarios for the QB with the Pats are getting worse only, and Gronkowski offered him to ask for “release” before it is too late.
During a recent appearance on FanDuel TV’s Up & Adams Show, the ex-Patriots star proposed Jones to leave the franchise and start a new journey with the Cleveland Browns who are in QB problems due to Deshaun Watson’s injury.
“I think Mac Jones should ultimately, even right now, should just go and ask for his release. If you’re talking to me about what he should do, ask for his release. And then if it gets granted, he should go sign with the Cleveland Browns and start a new career right there. They need a new quarterback. Imagine that, how wild would that be?” he said via Sports Yahoo.
Unlike the Pats, the Browns are going stronger this season. Though they are sitting in the third spot of the AFC North, they hold a 6-3 mark, with the help of a formidable rushing attack and top-class defenses.
The Browns are now relying on PJ Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson following Watson’s absence. Gronk thinks Jones can give a shot to the team’s QB room, maybe first as a backup and then a full starter.
“I think he would fit, there’s no doubt about it. He’s got some weapons around him (in Cleveland), and that would determine if Mac Jones is the real deal or not. I think he’s a decent quarterback. I think he’ll definitely be in the NFL for a little bit, even if it’s going to be as a backup for a little bit and then a starter once again.”
However the proposal is indeed promising as the Patriots dual-threat has not been able to showcase his best performance with the team. However, adopting a new gameplay, especially a new offense, and bonding with a new team amid the season might not be a piece of cake as well.
Belichick benches Jones after costly interception in Frankfurt
Mac Jones’ interception once again sidelined him in the 6-10 loss to the Colts. His notorious red-zone interception in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s contest triggered Belichick to bench him, giving Bailey Zappe the role for a while. While talking about the decision, the HC said he thought “it was time for a change”.
However, Zappe could not bring momentum for the Patriots as well and ended up throwing an interception with just a few seconds left in the game before going 3-for-7 with 25 yards on the final drive.
Meanwhile, Mac Jones had already been pulled from two games this season. He lost his spot for a while in the contest against the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. While talking about the team’s signal-caller in the upcoming match, Belichick said they would think about that later.
“Look, I made the decision, that’s what it was. We’ll deal with next week, next week.”
However, Jones took the blame for his poor performance by saying he is now in “in a valley” of his career. The signal-caller said he needs to bounce back stronger to make people believe his caliber.
Do you think that Mac Jones will be able to do that? Tell us in the comments.
