Mac Jones has ‘that good swag,’ says his high school coach
Where Mac Jones goes, success seems to follow.
In 2016, the Jacksonville native won a high school state championship at The Bolles School. In 2020, Jones led Alabama to an undefeated season and a college football title. Now, the rookie is battling for the Patriots’ starting spot.
Wayne Belger, who was an assistant coach at The Bolles School while Jones was there, believes the QB can bring his winning ways to New England.
“He’s not a prima donna. He’s got that good swag that you need as a quarterback and is used to being coached the way that I believe coach Belichick will coach him,” Belger said in an interview with Dan Roche for WBZ-TV. “I know how we did with him and how Coach Saban did with him [at Alabama]. He’s got thick skin.”
That thick skin will come in handy while in New England. Jones is not only playing for a coach notorious for being all-business all the time, but also playing for a franchise and fan base that expects greatness.
“[Jones] is an extremely smart man,” Belger said. “Academically and also at picking up the playbook. He won’t have any problem with that. If he doesn’t make it, it won’t be because he didn’t do the right things.”
Jun 15, 2021; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (50) participates in a drill during the New England Patriots mini camp at the New England Patriots practice complex. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
The small sample size of Jones’ work with the Patriots supports Belger’s comments. Jones reportedly didn’t show too many signs of mental mistakes typical of rookies during mandatory minicamp.
“He’s going to be an extremely hard worker,” Belger said. “He’ll be the first one there and the last one to leave. He told me that he’s told coach Belichick that he’s going to live 5-10 minutes from the stadium, ’cause he’s going to be there all the time. I think coach Belichick liked that.”
Jones’ work ethic was put on display while at Alabama. Coming out of high school, he was just a three-star recruit and had two other future pros, Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa, ahead of him on the depth chart. Despite that, Jones took his early years in Tuscaloosa as a learning experience, all culminating in hosting a national championship trophy in 2020.
“He had a tremendous year, not just the National Championship Game,” Belger said. “He threw some balls that were big time throws that he made. To play at the next level at the NFL, he’s going to have to do it there as well. People ask me if I think this will do to his head. I don’t think it will.”
Jones carries a sense of supreme confidence with him, but does not come off as cocky. Instead, Belger remembers him being the comedian of the team.
“They call him ‘The Joker’ because he always has that grin on his face and is goofing around,” Belger said. “But he’s a tremendous competitor inside. His whole family is an athletic family; his brothers, sisters and dad were big-time tennis players, as was Mac earlier. But he’s a competitor, and you don’t see that all the time. You see his joking, jovial side, but when it came time to go he was all-in.”
Very rarely does a former coach give the media bad reviews of a player, especially for an NFL-caliber quarterback. However, Belger’s praise for Jones is over-the-top supportive and reassuring for Patriots fans.
“He had that letter when he was younger that he wanted to be an NFL quarterback. I think it’s great that he has met his dreams.”
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