Patriots fans were filled with hope when Mac Jones earned a Pro Bowl selection and led New England to the playoffs in 2021.
But that promising rookie season proved to be the beginning of the end in Foxboro, Mass., for Jones, who will embark on a new chapter this season.
The Patriots reportedly are finalizing a trade to send Jones to Jacksonville, where he will back up fellow 2021 first-rounder Trevor Lawrence. Once the new NFL year kicks off and Jones completes a physical for the Jaguars, it will officially close the book on a New England tenure that featured more lows than highs.
That was reflected in the social media reactions to Adam Schefter’s breaking news Sunday morning.
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Jones appeared to be committed to the Patriots until the bitter end, as he was among those who were on hand for Jerod Mayo’s introductory press conference despite an uncertain future with the franchise. It’s unclear how the 25-year-old actually feels about the Patriots and the New England area these days, but he reportedly is “looking forward to the next challenge” in Jacksonville.
And as fate would have it, the Jaguars are set to host the Patriots at some point during the 2024 regular season.