New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) walks off the field after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 30-24. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Mac Jones responds to Bill Belichick's Hail Mary quote

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 12/19/22

The disastrous ending to Sunday’s New England Patriots game has dragged some unpleasant things out into the open for the team. One of them is Mac Jones’ arm strength.

Coach Bill Belichick raised some eyebrows Sunday when he said he did not call for a Hail Mary on the final play of the loss to Las Vegas because Jones “couldn’t throw it that far.” The Patriots had the ball at their own 45, leaving some to wonder if this was an indictment of Jones’ arm strength.

On Monday, Jones appeared on WEEI’s “Merloni, Fauria & Mego” and said he did not agree with Belichick’s assessment.

Mac Jones disagrees with Coach Belichick saying a Hail Mary on the last play would have been too far. pic.twitter.com/afMkB3i4zO

— Merloni, Fauria, & Mego (@MFMonWEEI) December 19, 2022

“No,” Jones said when asked if he thought it was too far. “I think we obviously have a plan in that situation. You have to think about everything in that situation and that’s something that he did and that’s his job and he’s done that for a long time. Whatever the play call is I’m gonna run it and do it the best I can. If it was a Hail Mary, it was a Hail Mary.”

Jones’ answer calls into question whether he is being too bullish about his arm strength or whether Belichick is being too dismissive. Belichick’s strategy might usually be the latter, but his response only raised more questions about the final play.

These questions are all secondary to the discussion about how the actual play unfolded, though. That wasn’t Jones’ fault, at least.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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