Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones were once a part of the same National Championship winning QB room. But now the duo is divisional rivals, and Tua’s treating his relationship exactly like that.
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Mac Jones is in a similar place as Tua Tagovailoa was in his rookie season last year. Tua was behind QB Ryan Fitzpatrick on the depth chart to start the season but eventually took over the starting reigns midseason. Jones is currently QB2 behind Cam Newton, but with him on the sidelines, the 15th overall pick could make a serious push to take over the starting gig even before the season starts.
Jones appears to be doing well for a rookie, as he reportedly went 35-of-40 and completed 18 straight passes at one point during this Wednesday’s joint practice with the New York Giants. He also went 13-of-19 for 146 yards, leading three scoring drives in only his 2nd preseason game.
Cam + Mac balled out in #NFLPreseason Week 2:@CameronNewton: 8/9, 103 pass yards, 1 TD@MacJones_10: 13/19, 149 pass yards pic.twitter.com/FVaFE5MeV7
— NFL (@NFL) August 23, 2021
Tua Tagovailoa is not wishing Mac Jones too much luck
Tua has a love for his former teammate. But with the 2 QBs playing for AFC East rivals the Patriots and the Dolphins, Tagovailoa doesn’t want Jones to perform so well that the Dolphins end up behind the Patriots in the AFC East standings.
As for his former teammate Mac Jones, who is in New England, Tua said he hasn’t texted or talked to him since Jones was drafted. “I’ve seen them play. He’s doing pretty good,” Tagovailoa said. “I hope when he does get the opportunity he makes the best of it. But you can’t wish him too much luck because we’re rivals in the same division.”
“Can’t wish him too much luck, being rivals in the same division.”
Tua says he hasn’t talked to fellow Bama product Mac Jones since camp, but has been watching his game action. pic.twitter.com/NZEqyB8f9y
— Ruthie Polinsky (@ruthiepolinsky) August 25, 2021
The season is only 2 weeks away and as of now, Cam Newton is the starter. Despite a bad season as a passer, Bill Belichick and the Patriots renamed Newton as the team’s starter ahead of training camp for 2021. And that seems to be the case after 2 weeks of the preseason.
But with Mac Jones having a strong training camp, a lot of fans have been questioning Newton’s starting spot. To add to that, Cam Newton must sit out half of this week’s practices because of what the team is calling a “misunderstanding” about testing requirements. So Mac Jones has the perfect opportunity to take over the gig.
Cam Newton has the confidence of HC Bill Belichick which is great for him and Jones still has work to do if he wants to cement himself as the Patriots QB. So the Patriots QB situation should be very interesting to see in 2021.
