The New England Patriots did not grant Peyton Manning access to Mac Jones this week in advance of Peyton and Eli’s latest “ManningCast,” but Mac Jones says the denial was nothing personal.
Manning said during Monday night’s game between the Patriots and Buffalo Bills that he reached out to Jones several days ago. Jones said he would be willing to speak with the Manning brothers, but he asked Peyton to contact New England’s PR director to clear it through him. The Patriots ultimately denied the request.
Jones told WEEI’s “Merloni & Fauria Show” on Tuesday that he did not want to get into detail about why he didn’t speak with Manning. He indicated that the main reason was Patriots coach Bill Belichick wanted his full focus on the game.
“The Patriots do a great job of just helping me stay focused on what I need to stay focused on,” Jones said. “I (was) always like that in college, too.”
Manning joked that it seemed like Jones had his cell phone off, as the former Alabama star was not quick to respond to the request. Jones admitted that he doesn’t pay a whole lot of attention to his phone.
“I don’t know if it’s off, but I definitely don’t go on my phone that much,” he said. “I just don’t really look at it or focus on it unless I am talking to my family. … I feel bad sometimes not being able to talk to everybody, but it’s a busy life.”
Manning said both Jones and the Patriots were very respectful in turning him down. He also noted that the Indianapolis Colts handled him the same way when he was a rookie and that he feels it is a beneficial approach.
Jones attempted only three passes in Monday’s game, but the Patriots came away with a huge 14-10 win. One of Mac’s teammates took a hilarious swipe at him over the performance, but Jones has proven in his first NFL season that he only cares about winning games.
Photo: Nov 18, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) during a timeout against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
