Ex-New England RB Damien Harris Blames Patriots' Coaching Mess For Failing Mac Jones
Mac Jones was doomed to fail under Bill Belichick in New England, declared one former Patriots teammate.
Ex-New England running back Damien Harris voiced his support for Jones, now a Jacksonville Jaguars backup QB, with "The Athletic" this week, stating in a recent podcast interview that Jones was set up to fail once Josh McDaniels left New England.
Under one year of having McDaniels as his OC in 2017, rookie Mac Jones played his way to a Pro Bowl selection.
After McDaniels left for a head-coaching job with the Raiders, Jones played under former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and ex-special teams coordinator Joe Judge.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 24: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots looks on during pregame against the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 25: Running back Damien Harris #37 of the New England Patriots looks onward during pregame at Gillette Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Patricia and Judge — a dysfunctional duo working as Pats offensive coordinators, as decreed by Belichick — couldn't build a comprehensive plan of attack, and Jones' production suffered as a result.
Harris defended Mac Jones for undergoing turbulence after his Pro Bowl rookie season. The 27-year-old blamed New England's mess of a coaching staff for letting Jones down.
"What happened to Mac Jones in New England was not because of Mac Jones," Harris said.
"What happened in New England to Mac Jones was because of the fact you took away an offensive coordinator who coached him to be a Pro Bowler and almost coached us to winning our division with a rookie quarterback in his first year. And then you take — whenever Josh McDaniels left — Matt Patricia, who has coached defenses his entire life, and Joe Judge, who has been a special teams coach, coached receivers at some point.
Foxborough, MA - January 11: New England Patriots former head coach Bill Belichick addressed the media at Gillette Stadium about his departure. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 24: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots reacts on the sideline during the second half against the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium on October 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
"And then you just throw them in there and be like, ‘Hey, coach this kid up. He’s a first-round pick, but as long as you teach him what I say, everything will be fine,’ and s**t wasn’t fine."
Jones faced criticism for failing as Tom Brady's successor in New England. He approached the role facing big expectations as a national champ (2x) with Alabama; New England picked him 15th overall in 2021. His potential in New England did appear stunted by the team's lack of offensive weapons or an apt offensive playbook.
The Patriots went 8-17 with Jones as their quarterback following McDaniels' departure. New England traded Jones in March to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2024 sixth-round pick.
Jones also faced internal adversity when the team brought Cam Newton to compete for the starting role. Newton's firecracker personality only pushed Jones — often their best pick at starter — further from a stable role.
Harris pointed to Belichick's free rein in New England as head coach and front office general.
"Now Mac Jones is in Jacksonville… the breath of Mac Jones in New England – it came and went. It shouldn’t have [gone] the way that it went," Harris added.
"The only reason that it did was because Bill Belichick, being stuck in his ways, was very much so ‘As long as I am here. As long as I am, along with Robert Kraft, the top dog at this organization, no matter who, no matter where, what position, where they coach, whatever, we will have success.’"
Belichick split with New England after the 2023 season and did not pick up a new head coaching role in the offseason.
Damien Harris, newly retired after five seasons of football (four with New England), said teams were reticent to take on Bill as more than their head coach, unwilling to give the famed coach full autonomy.
Harris said, "That’s something that I could have seen coming because, you know, Bill was the head coach, Bill was the GM, Bill was damn near the offensive coordinator, damn near the defensive coordinator, damn near the special teams coordinator, damn near this, damn near that. And you know, if he was going to go coach for another team, it would have probably just been head coach."
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