There were reportedly deeper levels of dysfunction in the New England Patriots’ organization by the regular season finale, when the team demoted Mac Jones to third-string quarterback in favor of backup Nathan Rourke.
It wasn’t the decision in itself that points to dysfunction. Every team has a right to establish a roster however they see fit.
With that said, Jones reportedly wasn’t informed that he would be demoted to third backup until the inactive list came out, 90 minutes before the team’s home game against the visiting New York Jets.
In a recent bombshell article with multiple reports, MassLive’s Mark Daniels wrote:
Not only was Jones demoted to third string, but nobody told him. He found out he was inactive when the Patriots released the list 90 minutes before kickoff, according to a team source.
Leading up to this game, the quarterback reps were split differently in practice, but no one on the coaching staff told Jones why and no one told him he’d be the team’s emergency third quarterback.
So Jones basically found out the same time as media members and fans that he was being downgraded as the third quarterback option for the Patriots.
That information came as the third-year signal-caller reportedly worked hard behind the scenes, despite falling behind Bailey Zappe on the depth chart. To think, Jones began the season as the starting quarterback for the Patriots and ended it without even being told of his third-string demotion.
It’s a world of difference from the Patriots’ organization that was once believed to be the buttoned-up champion and shining example for the rest of the NFL.
