The Mac Jones era has come to an unceremonious end for the New England Patriots.
After three largely forgettable seasons, the Patriots traded Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars, his hometown team, for only a sixth-round pick in return. The No. 15 overall pick in 2021 started his career with promise as he finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, but it's been a downward spiral ever since due to factors in and out of his control.
It's a bitter end to the saga for all involved, but for Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne, there is a silver lining. During an appearance on the Pats Interference podcast, Bourne said he felt that the team did Jones a favor by allowing him to go home to Jacksonville.
“I’m happy for him that he’s going to get a fresh start, which is awesome for him,” Bourne said, per MassLive.com. “Being back home, it might be a good environment for him, some place he’s familiar with. ... I think the Patriots did well by him, with letting him go back home. I don’t know if they talked about that or anything. But that was cool for him to go back to his hometown and be around his family. After all he’s been through, that’ll probably be helpful.”
Bourne came to New England the same time Jones did in 2021, so the two naturally grew close with each other. Much like his quarterback, Bourne went through his share of ups and downs. The 28-year-old receiver had a subpar season in 2022, but looked much better in 2023 before unfortunately tearing his ACL in the middle of the season.
As Jones exits New England, though, Bourne will be sticking around as he recently signed a three-year extension.
Jones' departure is certainly a bitter pill to swallow for Bourne, but the bond they've formed over the past three years will surely remain.
“We’re really close and I’m gonna miss him for sure. But everything happens for a reason,” Bourne said.
More must-reads: