"He’s been a great mentor" - When Mac Jones opened up about Tom Brady's impact on him

The New England Patriots, under Bill Belichick, signed Cam Newton in 2020 to replace Tom Brady, who left for Tampa Bay earlier that year. However, Belichick eventually chose rookie quarterback Mac Jones, who was drafted 15th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, over the 2015 NFL MVP.

Thus, Jones was pushed under the bus to perform and fill the shoes of two stalwarts.

Jones expressed confidence in stepping up as the Patriots' quarterback after Tom Brady's departure despite never training alongside the legendary signal caller. During an appearance on WEEI's "Jones and Lego" show in September 2023, Jones called Brady his mentor.

“He’s definitely a legend. I have all the respect for him. He’s a great guy,” Jones said. “He’s actually helped me a lot already, just talking to him or whatever. He’s been a great mentor and stuff. He’s a great player.”

While Brady wasn't physically present in Foxborough during Jones' tenure, the rookie learned a lot from watching the Patriots legend’s film.

“Love watching his film. ... He pops up on game tape,” Jones added. “He’s always on the film doing the right thing, so just trying to learn from him. He’s been awesome.”

Jones relied heavily on Brady's game as a learning tool, especially after a turbulent second season in 2022 under Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. He led the Patriots to a 10-7 season record in his promising rookie campaign and led them to the playoffs. However, his career soon faced a decline as replicating Brady's precision, timing and poise became a matter of survival for him.

Mac Jones joins the San Francisco 49ers with hopes to revive his career

Mac Jones played 42 games across three seasons for the Patriots, passing for 8,918 yards, 46 TDs and 36 INTs. He was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024, where he served as the backup to Trevor Lawrence.

He started in seven games, but the Jaguars only won two of them, both against the Tennessee Titans. He finished the season with 1,672 yards and eight TDs in 10 appearances. Last month, Jones was traded to the 49ers on a two-year deal worth up to $11.5 million, with incentives including $5 million in guaranteed money.