FOXBOROUGH — “Trust is the easiest thing in the world to lose, and the hardest thing in the world to get back."
I don't know who said it - imagine the internet not having a clear answer? - but trust needs to be the very foundation the 2023-24 Patriots are built on. It vanished on so many fronts last year, but nowhere was it more evident than in the quarterback/coach relationship.
In the spring and summer of 2022, Mac Jones was a player Bill Belichick raved about at every turn, so much so that those of us covering the team were gobsmacked by the sheer amount and size of the bouquets thrown the young signal caller's way. Some six months later, after an 8-9 season, the best Belichick could say about Jones was that "Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league." Ouch. Life comes at you fast, especially when you're at the helm of an underperforming team with a coach who thought his buddies would be best served running the offense, even if they had no experience doing so.
Since then, per sources, all Jones has done is put his head down and work, both on himself and on repairing relationships within the organization, including the one with Belichick, something he confirmed after the team's first training camp practice Wednesday.
"I think we’re good," said Jones. "The biggest thing we’ve all talked about is having a fresh start. I think there’s a lot of learning experiences from last year that we’ve talked about, and this year, it’s all about just working together. Come up with a plan, talk about it and then execute it. I’m excited for that part of it."
That wasn't the case last year, when Jones and other members of the offense didn't feel like they had enough say in what was happening to the offense, and that, often times, their concerns fell on deaf ears, with the whys and wherefores not answered. Rather, it was a "we coach, you play" mentality that, like it or not, doesn't fly in the league anymore.
This year, on day one of camp, Belichick, who has never publicly admitted any wrongdoing for last year's offensive failures, kept a watchful eye on Jones during some red zone work. After a few reps, he approached the 3rd year QB and engaged him in a short conversation, but one that held Mac's attention. Progress? It felt that way, especially after the two barely interacted during OTAs and mandatory mini-camp this spring.
I told Jones after the session that teammates have complimented him on his approach since the end of last season and that he appeared energized by the addition of offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien (the two have spent a lot of time together, dating back to OB's hiring). His smile and the words that followed were a clear sign that those players weren't just telling me what I wanted to hear. No, that part of the equation feels real.
"I’m just going to grind it out and hopefully I can bring a lot of people along with me," he said. "That’s the big thing, right? You’re the quarterback. At the end of the day, when we’re on that field, they need to feel confident in me and I need to feel confident in them and I think that’s built through trust. That’s the big word here in training camp, is trust. That’s gonna come through trial and error, good and bad. It’s not always going to be great, so just having that positive mindset, staying that course, running my race and bringing people with me."
There are some within the organization that felt Jones did bring people with him a year ago, but not necessarily in the right way. Hence, the erosion of trust permeated throughout the entire franchise. The hope is that Jones has changed, and in doing so, can win back his coach. Jones even acknowledges that in that last quote, understanding he needs to bring "people with me."
But that won't be borne out of one practice and one press conference. There will be daily tests for both sides, even if one (Belichick) most certainly wouldn't view it that way. Just how well and how quickly they can rebuild that elusive trust may go a long way toward determining just what kind of season they'll have in Foxborough.