Mac Jones responds to Bill Belichick Hail Mary quote

Aug 12, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones 10) throws the ball during a game against the Washington Football Team at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

The disastrous ending to Sunday’s New England Patriots game has dragged some unpleasant things out into the open for the team. One of them is Mac Jones’ arm strength.

Coach Bill Belichick raised some eyebrows Sunday when he said he did not call for a Hail Mary on the final play of the loss to Las Vegas because Jones “couldn’t throw it that far.” The Patriots had the ball at their own 45, leaving some to wonder if this was an indictment of Jones’ arm strength.

On Monday, Jones appeared on WEEI’s “Merloni, Fauria & Mego” and said he did not agree with Belichick’s assessment.

Mac Jones disagrees with Coach Belichick saying a Hail Mary on the last play would have been too far. pic.twitter.com/afMkB3i4zO

— Jones & Mego with Arcand (@JonesandMego) December 19, 2022

“No,” Jones said when asked if he thought it was too far. “I think we obviously have a plan in that situation. You have to think about everything in that situation and that’s something that he did and that’s his job and he’s done that for a long time. Whatever the play call is I’m gonna run it and do it the best I can. If it was a Hail Mary, it was a Hail Mary.”

Jones’ answer calls into question whether he is being too bullish about his arm strength or whether Belichick is being too dismissive. Belichick’s strategy might usually be the latter, but his response only raised more questions about the final play.

These questions are all secondary to discussion about how the actual play unfolded, though. That wasn’t Jones’ fault, at least.