Bill Belichick's friction with Mac Jones leaves Craig Carton furious: "This clown won't come out and say it"

Mac Jones and Bill Belichick's relationship has clearly been strained since last season. The quarterback's lackluster second season in the league disappointed the longtime head coach to such an extent that he apparently isn't confident that Jones will be able to bounce back.

In March this year, Belichick made it clear that he wouldn't committ to Mac Jones being the New England Patriots' starting quarterback for Week 1. When he was asked if there would be a competition Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe for the team's starting quarterback job, he said:

"Everybody’s out here competing. All 90 guys. That’s what we’re all here for, to compete. Everybody’s out here competing. That’s what everybody’s doing."

Craig Carton spoke about Belichick's comments on "The Craig Carton Show" on Wednesday. According to him, the the head coach can't help himself and that he is continuing with the same approach that he has always taken with the media:

"He just can't help himself, but Mac Jones is the starting quarterback. And the fact that this clown won't just come out and say, yeah, he's our starting quarterback is just comical and typical Bill Belichick."

Carton continued by saying that this time it's a bit different when he speaks like this because when Belichick had Tom Brady and the team was winning Super Bowls, that was one thing.

"When he presents himself during the football season to reporters, he puts on this front and, when you're winning Super Bowls, you can be that guy, but when you go three straight years without a playoff win. And people are starting to question how good you are because there's no Tom Brady, that act gets stale very quickly."

JuJu Smith-Schuster calls QB Mac Jones a 'spark'

While Bill Belichick may not be ready to name Mac Jones the starting quarterback, there is at least one member of the New England Patriots who is showing confidence in Jones.

Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster spoke to reporters after practice on Wednesday morning and called the quarterback a 'spark', saying that the offense starts with him:

“That dude, he’s a spark… it starts with him.”

Smith-Schuster said that the Patriots quarterback's confidence in his play and his team allows the rest of them to also be confident.

After winning the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs last season, the wide receiver signed a three-year deal worth $33 million with the Patriots.