Mac Jones moved a lot of jerseys as a rookie, and he’s still one of the top-selling players in football heading into year 2.
The Patriots’ second-year quarterback ranks 11th in the NFL in total jersey sales entering the 2022 season, as announced by the NFLPA on Friday. The list is based on all verified purchases of officially licensed NFL player products from March 1-May 31, 2022.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and legendary ex-Patriot Tom Brady continues to top the list, after having ranked No. 1 at the end of the 2021 season.
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Jones sold the sixth-most jerseys in the NFL for the first quarter of 2022, and the fifth-most jerseys of the 2021 season as a whole. So there was a bit of a drop-off for him.
It makes sense, though. Russell Wilson skyrocketed 24 spots to No. 2 behind Brady, after heading to the Denver Broncos in a trade. Davante Adams landed at No. 7 and has had a big year of sales so far after moving from the Green Bay Packers to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jones’ continued presence among the highest-selling jerseys reflects the optimism surrounding him in New England, after he and Bill Belichick led the Patriots back to the playoffs in his rookie season. In addition, the crowds in Foxboro have been large and buzzy for Jones so far at 2022 training camp.
The Super Bowl champion Rams are well-represented in the latest rankings, with three players in the top-10: wide receiver Cooper Kupp (third), defensive tackle Aaron Donald (fifth), and quarterback Matthew Stafford (sixth). So, the hope for Patriots fans is they end up seeing representation like this a year from now.
Here’s the full top-20 highest-selling jerseys in the NFL for the second quarter of 2022:
1. Tom Brady, Buccaneers
TAMPA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 09: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks to pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium on September 09, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
2. Russell Wilson, Broncos
Jul 28, 2022; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during training camp at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
3. Cooper Kupp, Rams
Oct 27, 2019; London, United Kingdom; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (18) carries the ball in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals during an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
4. Joe Burrow, Bengals
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 31: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals throws the ball during warm-ups before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 31, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
5. Aaron Donald, Rams
Oct 26, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald (99) at the line of scrimmage during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
6. Matthew Stafford, Rams
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 13: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.
7. Davante Adams, Raiders
HENDERSON, NEVADA – JULY 27: Wide receiver Davante Adams #17 of the Las Vegas Raiders catches a pass during the team’s first fully padded practice during training camp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on July 27, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
8. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Though many around New England would still put Brady in the No. 1 spot, Mahomes is still the NFL’s most purely dynamic passer, coming off a season with 38 touchdowns and just six interceptions (a better ratio than Brady).
Mahomes is already a Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP, and league MVP in just three years as the Chiefs’ starting QB. And he could still get even better. When Brady finally retires or falls off the “cliff,” it’ll be Mahomes’ league all to himself.
9. Josh Allen, Bills
BUFFALO, NEW YORK – JANUARY 15: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills throws a pass against the New England Patriots during the third quarter in the AFC Wild Card playoff game at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
10. Justin Herbert, Chargers
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – OCTOBER 17: Quarterback Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers throws a second half pass against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
11. Mac Jones, Patriots
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 09: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots drops back to pass over the defense of the Miami Dolphins in the second half of the game at Hard Rock Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
12. Dak Prescott, Cowboys
TAMPA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 09: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to throw during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on September 09, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
13. George Kittle, 49ers
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 04: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers tries to get away from K’Von Wallace #42 of the Philadelphia Eagles at Levi’s Stadium on October 04, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
14. Tyreek Hill, Dolphins
Jul 27, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) catches a pass during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
15. CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys
Oct 17, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) scores the game winning touchdown in front of New England Patriots cornerback Jalen Mills (2) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
16. Odell Beckham Jr., Free Agent
Odell Beckham Jr. #3 of the Los Angeles Rams catches the ball in the second quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals during Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
17. T.J. Watt, Steelers
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 03: T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after a sack during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field on January 03, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
18. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball as Jessie Bates #30 of the Cincinnati Bengals defends during the first half in the game at M&T Bank Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
19. Trey Lance, 49ers
Jul 27, 2022; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) throws the ball during Training Camp at the SAP Performance Facility near Levi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
20. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
FOXBOROUGH, MA – NOVEMBER 04: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks to pass the ball during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on November 4, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
NEXT… Mac Watch, Day 3: Patriots offense struggles again in 11-on-11
Mac Watch, Day 2: Maybe pump the brakes after Patriots offense has ugly finish
Mac Jones during Patriots training camp on July 28, 2022. (Syndication: The Providence Journal)
Mac Jones and the Patriots offense has looked borderline unstoppable in training camp … in non-competitive 7-on-7 drills. Once it turns to 11-on-11, it’s become much more of a challenge.
Jones rolled for most of Thursday’s practice in Foxboro, the second day of 2022 training camp. But that was mostly in lighter 7-on-7 sessions that were barely more physical than a walkthrough.
While Jones has generally looked confident, which is important in early non-padded practices, the offense crashed hard in a more physical 11-on-11 session to close out Thursday.
The second-year quarterback started red-hot, completing 16 of his first 17 passes in a mix of 7-on-7 and 11-on-11. Most drills, like Wednesday, focused on red zone work. One early highlight was a Hunter Henry catch on a corner fade from Jones, which was well-placed over safety Kyle Dugger in coverage.
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Jones completed his first 12 passes in a row to start team drills, but it can’t be stressed enough that it was basically a glorified walkthrough. The speed was there, but the physicality was not. His first incompletion came on a pass intended for tight end Jonnu Smith, which was broken up by second-year defensive back Joshuah Bledsoe.
Up until the final red zone session, the offense controlled most of the action in team drills, with Jones in command and spreading the ball around. Newcomer DeVante Parker made a bunch of plays, and even did on Thursday, when he reeled in a back-shoulder throw against cornerback Jalen Mills for a “touchdown.”
The offense would make no such plays at the end of practice. Jones and rookie Bailey Zappe combined to go 1-for-11 in the final 11-on-11 red zone drills, which featured about as much contact and physical play that you can get without pads. They also cranked the music – which included Guns ‘n’ Roses and Drake, if you’re curious – to simulate crowd noise. That ostensibly had an effect on the offensive communication.
Jones himself went 1-for-7 in this session. Four of his incompletions could be counted as overthrows. One simply sailed out of reach from Parker, another from tight end Hunter Henry. A third was caught by Nelson Agholor, but he was clearly out of bounds. The fourth looked catchable for Kendrick Bourne, who was mad at himself after he couldn’t finish the play, but it was too far to drop in the bucket.
A Gross Injustice
Mac Jones during Patriots training camp on July 28, 2022. (Syndication: The Providence Journal)
But wait, what about the one completion? That happened to come on the final play, a “touchdown” from Jones to Henry on a throw Jones made while running to his left. The final play was the one that determined who had to do push-ups afterward, so when the defense had to drop and give ’em 20, it didn’t exactly feel like justice was served.
After one day of practice, Jones looked way more self-assured in the pocket than he did a year ago. On Thursday, he held the ball too long on some plays, and wasn’t accurate on others. If Jones is going to play at a high level this season, his pocket presence, timing, and accuracy are going to have to be on-point, because he’s not going to make many plays off pure athleticism.
Play-Calling
Mar 16, 2022; Atlanta, GA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and senior advisor Matt Patricia watch during Georgia Pro Day at William Porter Payne and Porter Otis Payne Indoor Athletic Facility. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
For the second straight day, senior adviser/offensive line coach Matt Patricia appeared to be the one acting as the team’s offensive coordinator. He called most of the plays, while it appeared Jones took a few play-calls from Belichick himself late in practice. Steve Belichick appears to be the play-caller on defense. Give the checkmark to Bill Jr. on that last session.
Jones continues to work closely with Belichick, Patricia, quarterbacks coach Joe Judge, and offensive assistant Evan Rothstein. It’s certainly a collaborative effort orchestrating the offense as it stands two days into camp. But Patricia looks like he’s in the lead to coordinate the offense when the real games start.
Leftover Notes…
— Targets: Henry, Jakobi Meyers, and Damien Harris tied for the team lead with three catches from Jones in team drills. Henry had the most targets with four.
— Pass Breakups: Jalen Mills and Joshuah Bledsoe each broke up a pass. Mills is off to a strong start and feels entrenched as the team’s No. 1 outside cornerback, while Bledsoe has played well and looks like a candidate for a spot at the end of the 53-man roster.
— Offensive Line: The projected starters seem to be Trent Brown at left tackle, rookie Cole Strange at left guard, David Andrews at center, Michael Onwenu at right guard, and Isaiah Wynn at right tackle. James Ferentz has been filling in at center for Andrews, who has started camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
— Mac’s Second Job: Jones and the other quarterbacks got a chance to hold during a kicking drill, which didn’t include actual kicking, just snapping and holding. Jones bumbled one of his holds. It was Tony Romo-esque. Maybe stick to throwing.
— Quirks: Patriots linebackers and safeties participated in a drill appearing to work on tipping passes, using what looked like a volleyball. No sense in using a real football. It’s more about hand-eye coordination. Gotta protect those hands. But that was a fun drill to watch.
PHOTOS: Patriots hit the field for 2022 training camp in Foxboro
The New England Patriots took to the practice fields on Friday for 2022 training camp in Foxboro. Keep scrolling for more photos from the day.
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws the ball during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws the ball during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive lineman Cole Strange (50) walks onto the field before training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive lineman Cole Strange (50) walks onto the field before training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots center David Andrews (60) walks onto the field before training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) walks onto the field before training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) walks onto the field before training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Damien Harris (37) waves to the crowd during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) catches the ball during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith (81) catches the ball during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive back Justin Bethel (29) and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (51) run a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker (1) and cornerback Malcom Butler (4) run a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Malcom Butler (4) and wide receiver DeVante Parker (1) run a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones (53) during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones (53) and New England Patriots wide receiver Tre Nixon (82) run a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) hands the ball off to running back Damien Harris (37) during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe (55) throws the ball during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe (55) lines up for a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker (1) walks onto the field during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots guard Mike Onwenu (71) walks onto the field during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Josh Uche (55) during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Ty Montgomery (14) walks onto the field during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker (1) and cornerback Malcom Butler (4) run a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: New England Patriots Training Camp
ShareJul 29, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive back Marcus Jones (52) talks with the media after training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports