Former New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers saw the decline coming for quarterback Mac Jones.
Meyers played with Jones for two seasons in Foxborough before joining the Las Vegas Raiders as a free agent in 2023. In that span, Jones plummeted from his first two seasons to a dismal 2023 campaign in Meyers’ absence.
“I don’t know if I’m that powerful, but I promise you I probably would have done my best to help because I understand the stress that comes with playing that position,” Meyers told NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry at the Super Bowl festivities on Thursday.
“That position for that team and that city too at the same time, I know it’s tough. I can guarantee that I would’ve done my best to help, but I also know the guys in that room were trying their best to help him too,” Meyers added. “It’s just a tough situation for him.”
Meyers caught 71 passes for 807 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023 for the Raiders. That ranks ahead of all Patriots receivers individually for the season.
Jones meanwhile turned in career-worst numbers amid a 2-9 record and 2,120 yards passing for 10 touchdowns versus 12 interceptions. He also had meager running game support between Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott, who averaged four and 3.5 yards per carry respectively.
Jakobi Meyers Laments Lack of Talent & Coaching Around Mac Jones
Meyers expressed his disappointment for Jones — the coaching and talent around him in 2023.
“Just putting him in a better position to win I think would’ve helped their program a lot,” Meyers said. “I don’t like singling people out, but I think they had to meet him a little bit more. ‘Cause I know he’s in the building working. I can’t name too many people working harder than him. I hate to see it for him, I really do.”
New England replaced Meyers with JuJu Smith-Schuster in 2023, and the former Kansas City Chiefs wideout failed to live up to expectations. The Patriots also fell short of landing DeAndre Hopkins in free agency and fielded an underperforming group of receivers and tight ends for Jones and eventually Bailey Zappe.
“Honestly, man, I really don’t like it,” Meyers said regarding the whole quarterback situation. “And this isn’t a knock on Zap [Bailey Zappe], because Zap is a dog too.”
“I like my boy, I’m happy he’s doing well too. But man, how that went down with Mac, I kind of watched it all unfold the last couple of years and I feel like you could’ve seen it a couple years ago and tell that it would end up bad,” Meyers added.
Mac Jones Declined Each Year & the Patriots Look to Start Over
Jones had an impressive rookie year with 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns versus 13 interceptions amid the team’s 10-7 record and a playoff berth. It went south in 2022 as Jones threw for 2,997 yards and 14 touchdowns versus 11 interceptions amid his 6-8 record as starter.
Now, New England will take on a full rebuild with a new head coach in Jerod Mayo, $67.48 million in salary cap space, and the No. 3 pick in tow. Many speculate the Patriots will go with a quarterback with that third pick in place of Jones and Zappe for 2024.
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Ex-Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers Sounds Off on Mac Jones