TRENDING: Patriots Rumors, What Mac Jones Told Jets Staffer After Demotion

AC Jones expressed his growing frustration with the Patriots towards the end of the season by sharing his grievances with the opposing team.

After losing his starting position prior to Week 13, Jones served as Bailey Zappe’s backup for the following four games following the team’s disappointing shutout home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Alabama product concluded the season on a negative note when he was unexpectedly left out of the lineup for the Patriots’ season finale against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium.

Mark Daniels of MassLive reported that Jones was not given any advance notice about the additional demotion and only learned about his inactive status for Week 18 approximately 90 minutes before kickoff. At that moment, Jones felt a sense of jealousy towards another 2021 first-round pick who had endured a challenging junior season.

In addition, Daniels stated that Zach Wilson, who was selected the same year as Jones, did not keep his starting position. However, the Jets have been honest about their quarterback’s struggles. The Jets informed Wilson that they planned to move him during the summer, according to The Athletic. A source on the field prior to kickoff claims that the Patriots quarterback was so frustrated with his team’s lack of communication that he expressed his gratitude to a Jets staff member for the way the Jets handled Wilson’s predicament.

“Jones privately lamented to locker room confidants that no one talks to him.”

It’s unclear if Jones’ frustration was directed at the Patriots organization as a whole or mostly Bill Belichick. According to Daniels, citing a source, Jones and New England’s former coach had a “broken relationship” and Belichick stopped speaking to the 25-year-old after Week 12.

Belichick reportedly wouldn’t have allowed Jones to return to the Patriots in 2024 if he remained head coach, but Jerod Mayo appears to be more open-minded about the embattled signal-caller than his predecessor. It still feels likelier than not that Jones will be with a new team next season, but at a minimum, Mayo seemingly will be more upfront with the QB than Belichick was.