The Patriots’ quarterback situation is as awkward behind the scenes just as it is when fans see it on the field.
Amid a terrible season, a wide-ranging story published Thursday by the Boston Herald offered new insight into the relationship between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe and it is not good going forward for either of them or the franchise.
Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald indicated that Jones and Zappe did not have a strong relationship.
Zappe has taken over for Jones as the starting quarterback in the final stretch of the season and has produced a 2-3 record as the team looks to close out the season with a win on Sunday against the New York Jets.
The two quarterbacks “hardly talk.”
“There definitely isn’t healthy communication in there about trying to win football games,” a team source told the publication about the state of the quarterbacks’ room.
Jones entered this year as the Patriots’ starter following an uninspiring 2022 season. This was supposed to be the season where he broke out of his fun and showed what he had to be the man going forward.
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His play was uninspiring as “the locker room’s confidence in Jones waned significantly” after a 34-0 home loss to the Saints on Oct. 8, per the paper.
Jones ultimately was benched for Zappe, who also replaced him mid-game several times in 2023.
The report says the two are often too focused on their individual preparation to even try and help the other one.
It should be noted that Zappe publicly stated that Jones has helped him.
“It’s been good. Both of us want to win games,” he said after the Dec. 31 road loss to the Bills, per the outlet. “So, whoever’s out on the field, we’re going to help the other one.”
The paper added that a veteran QB presence would’ve helped things.
“Several members of the organization believe they would have benefitted from a veteran backup with experience in more cooperative rooms who could tie the room together.”
The good news is that Jones and Zappe will probably only be teammates in Foxborough for one more game.
The Patriots could very well be looking for a new head coach and taking a new quarterback in the NFL Draft this spring, which would also push Zappe back to a reserve role.
