NFL QB Youth Movement: Patriots' Mac Jones Must Grow Up Fast

With a host of 20-somethings now jostling for supremacy in the AFC, New England's 24-year-old quarterback needs to immediately mature into a winner.

Trevor Lawrence is only 23 years old.

Joe Burrow is 26. Josh Allen 26; Patrick Mahomes only 27.

Bottom line: The last four quarterbacks remaining standing in the AFC Playoffs aren't going anywhere for a long time, so the New England Patriots better get their situation fixed with 24-year-old Mac Jones.

With last Monday night's unceremonious dismal of Tom Brady from the postseason, the NFL quarterback changing of the guard has officially arrived. Gone - or at least rapidly going - are dinosaurs like Tampa Bay's Brady (45), the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers (39) and Matt Ryan (37) of the Indianapolis Colts. The new era is here, and it's already winning.

None of the remaining playoff quarterbacks has turned 30. The postseason's graybeards - Brady, Minnesota's Kirk Cousins (34) and Seattle's Geno Smith (32) - went 0-3.

In addition to the AFC's final four are young, hungry quarterbacks in charge of playoff-caliber rosters, such as Baltimore's Lamar Jackson (26), the Chargers' Justin Herbert (24) and the Miami Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa (24).

The play of the quarterbacks, of course, leads to points. While all but one of the six Wild Card winners scored at least 31 points, New England reached 30 only once all season.

The NFC is experiencing a similar youth movement as the Cowboys' Dak Prescott (29) leads a Divisional-Round group that includes San Francisco's Brock Purdy (23), Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts (24) and the Giants' Daniel Jones (25).

When the Patriots hire a new offensive coordinator, priority No. 1 will be getting Jones back on track.

After a rookie season in which he led the Pats to the playoffs and made the Pro Bowl, he drastically regressed in 2022. An ankle injury contributed to his spotty performance. As did the unimaginative and predictable play-calling of de facto offensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

When pressured, Jones was one in bottom 10 of NFL quarterbacks in terms of completion percentage and positive plays. Despite missing three games he threw 11 interceptions, including three in the season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 18.

Even when healthy, Jones never appeared happy. He threw temper tantrums on the field. His demeanor earned him "douchiness" and "dirtiest player in the NFL" criticism from peers. 

Forget the future, is Jones still the Patriots' quarterback of the present? Or perhaps it's 23-year-old Bailey Zappe?

The decision has to be right ... and right now.

In a league now run by young guns, quarterback patience is no longer a virtue. It's a liability.

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