In a recent segment of his ‘It Needed to be Said‘ podcast, Tyreek Hill staunchly supported his quarterback friend Mac Jones. Hill blamed Bill Belichick for benching Jones, asserting it put him in a tough spot. The No. 15 overall pick from the 2021 NFL draft found himself replaced by backup Bailey Zappe as the starter for the Jets. Jones has been benched four times in 11 games this season for Zappe.
Advertisement
Following Mac Jones’ emotional press conference, Tyreek Hill questioned Gemini about his perception of Jones’ strength. Gemini chuckled at Jones’ emotional response, highlighting his statement, “I just gotta play better,” upon being removed from the starting QB position. Tyreek Hill then queried if Gemini believed Jones would have cried.
Gemini acknowledged it as an emotional moment for Jones, impacting his confidence. Tyreek Hill responded, asserting, “Every man cries for what he loves,” a sentiment he believes in, emphasizing the emotional connection to one’s passions. He further defended Jones against Belichick and Ju saying, “Coach Belichick is putting my dawg in a bad situation. You putting my dawg Mac Jones in a bad position. I just love everything about him.”
Tyreek Hill and Gemini Ju explored the New England Patriots’ turbulent season, marked by a fourth in-game quarterback change. While Gemini Ju expressed a differing viewpoint, Tyreek Hill openly expressed his admiration for Mac Jones. He sympathized with Jones, attributing his challenging position to Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick.
An Emotional Day for Mac Jones
Jones, after his fourth benching of the season, expressed that the team had “no chance” to win with his Sunday performance, marked by two interceptions and the inability to lead a scoring drive before being benched in the second half. While taking accountability for his performance, Jones had an understandably emotional response to his benching. As Gemini Zu suggested, Jones seemed to be holding back tears as he said,
“It was just bad quarterback play, and not good enough by me. Coach O’Brien told me I was out and I understood. I wasn’t moving the ball, and I wasn’t scoring points. So, I understood why that happened.”
Before his fourth in-game benching, Mac Jones faced struggles, completing only 12 of 21 passes for 89 yards, with two interceptions and no touchdowns before being pulled at halftime. Despite frustrations leading to his fourth benching this season, the Patriots have consistently started Jones in every game.
Reports even suggested a 50-50 practice reps split between Jones and backup Bailey Zappe throughout the week. Reflecting on the challenges, Mac Jones acknowledged, “It’s tough.”He emphasized controlling what he can and letting external factors be just that. Despite potential struggles with confidence, Jones remains resilient.
