For months, the relationship between Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Mac Jones has been a game of who said what, being played almost entirely by those on the outside looking in. On Friday night though, we got a more direct answer.

Following Day 2 of the NFL Draft Belichick spoke to reporters for what is expected to be his lone media availability until spring practices. Given that, Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal asked him directly about the report that the Patriots had been ‘shopping’ Jones in trades this offseason.

• “I’m not going to respond to the anonymous quotes,” Belichick replied.

  Bedard then narrowed the question, asking if Jones “is your quarterback as of right now?” He menionted that in the past Belichick hadn’t been afraid to label quarterbacks as the starter in the offseason, having done so with Cam Newton immediately after Jones was first drafted by the team in 2021.

  “Yeah. I mean, look, Mac has been our quarterback for two years,” Belichick replied. “As I tell the team every year, each player, each coach, we all have to reestablish and prove ourselves every year. That’s what this league is. That’s for all of us.”

• #Patriots HC Bill Belichick asked about QB Mac Jones by @GregABedard on Friday night. @wbz pic.twitter.com/w5h4OL6bck

  — Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) April 29, 2023

• Finally, Bedard asked Belichick if he still feels the same way about Jones he did when was “very complimentary” of the quarterback heading into last year’s training camp.

  “Yeah. Absolutely,” Belichick replied.

  That was the end of that line of questioning, and every other Belichick comment related directly to the draft. Still it was a notable shift in tone from the way Belichick has talked about Jones for most of the offseason – most notably not using his name during his nearly half-hour press availability at the Owners’ Meetings last month. Yet with Belichick now complimentary of Jones, and the Patriots having passed on multiple chances to draft a top-100 quarterback like Will Levis of Kentucky or Hendon Hooker of Tennessee, it seems as though things are trending back in the right direction between coach and quarterback.

  Did Belichick and Jones bury the hatchet (if there was one to bury at all), or was this an attempt to bury the narrative? That’s the question many will have coming away from these comments, but they’ve certainly changed the discussion.

• Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.

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