This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.
Mac Jones has been in the NFL for just under two years and already his reputation of being a dirty player is growing, and that only got even bigger after his ugly move last Saturday on Bengals’ DB Eli Apple.
Jones, in case you missed it, went low on Apple during a fumble return by the Bengals that was later ruled intentional grounding by the refs. Apple was running behind the play as his teammate, Germaine Pratt, ran the ball back toward the end zone and for some reason Jones felt like he had to dive at his Apple’s legs… in order to stop him from blocking one of Jones’ teammates?
That was the lame excuse Jones gave earlier this week when he was asked about the play. He said there were no hard feelings, which I’m guessing Apple had, and that he was just trying to help a teammate.
All of that is ridiculous, of course. Jones, who has a history of dirty plays in the NFL, knows what he did and decided to cover it up with some excuses that made no sense at all. He’s likely going to face a small fine for the dirty play but the NFL really should suspend him for it instead.
Shannon Sharpe actually had a strong take on the play and the following excuse by Jones, saying the QB better be careful because there could be some payback coming his way by a defender in the future.
Mac Jones: “Definitely no intention to hurt anybody” on controversial block:“
“I’m not buying that 3 for a dollar, stop lying! Just say you were wrong because this was a cheap shot.” — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/AOQZ71VfHK
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) December 27, 2022
The bottom line is this – Jones needs to grow up and grow up fast.
Lifting his foot up to kick a defender in the groin while he slides is a total garbage move.
Grabbing a defender’s ankle while on the ground is a total garbage move.
Diving at Apple’s legs when Apple isn’t even really in the play is a total garbage move.
And then giving some lame reasons for why he did that is a total garbage move.
Jones isn’t having a great second season at all and his NFL career could be a brief one if he continues to struggle making plays.
And all of this childish behavior isn’t helping him one bit.
Quick hits: Luka’s “recovery beer” becomes a meme… T.J. Watt’s perfect reaction to J.J. Watt’s retirement… Jeff Saturday is a disaster… And more.
– Luka Doncic saying he needed a ‘recovery beer’ after Tuesday night’s historic 60-point game became a funny meme.
– T.J. Watt used the perfect GIF to react to J.J. Watt’s surprising retirement announcement.
– Jeff Saturday is the disaster most of us thought he would be.
– Kirk Herbstreit and Will Muschamp exchanged some funny barbs ahead of Georgia/Ohio State CFP game.
