QB Guru (and Tom Brady's Throwing Coach) Sees Bright Future For Patriots Mac Jones

Renowned throwing coach Tom House advised ‘the sky is the limit’ regarding the potential of New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones.

FOXBORO — Earlier this year, biomechanics pioneer and renowned throwing coach Tom House created quite a social media stir when he informed the masses about working with “someone new” prior to the start of the NFL season.

Among those who ‘liked’ the tweet was New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones.

In what would equate to past becoming prologue, Jones was indeed among the latest of House’s pupils during the offseason … a list of which includes such impressive names as Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Patriots legend Tom Brady.

Patriots fans will be happy to hear that House believes Jones’ future in Foxboro to be a bright one.

“The sky is the limit for this young man,” House stated during this week's appearance on the Next Pats Podcast. “When an athlete comes to us for throwing mechanics, he’s also going to get functional strength training; he’s also going to get mental-emotional tricks; and he’s also going to look at sleeping and nutrition through recovery.”

Intent on avoiding the dreaded ‘one-hit-wonder’ moniker, Jones adapted a stricter offseason workout regimen and healthier diet heading into his second season with the Pats. As a result, he has looked leaner and has impressed his teammates with his work ethic and leadership skills.

Accordingly, Jones also took the proper steps not only to increase his velocity, but also to build upon his accuracy in various spots on the field. Those preparations involved collaborating with House. While the quarterback guru was impressed by his physical capabilities, he identifies Jones’ perseverance as one of his most admirable qualities.

“Nobody has a better work ethic than this young man,” House said. “In fact, sometimes we have to talk about less is ‘more.’ If you’re telling me he [Jones] needs to do a 100 reps of something, he’ll give you 200 reps. We’re always trying to make sure he knows that it’s nice to work hard … but you don’t want to overwork. So, we’re balancing all those things. The net result is that he is a better quarterback than he was a year ago and he should get better year-to-year.”

Having joined the Patriots as their first-round selection (15 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft, Jones led all rookies with a 67.6 completion percentage and a 92.5 passer rating. The Alabama product compiled 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns. He completed at least 70 percent of his attempts in nine of New England’s games and twice threw for 300-plus yards through the air. He earned a selection to the Pro Bowl, as well as a spot on the PFWA's All-Rookie team, while leading the Pats back to the playoffs after a one year absence. For his efforts, he was named a Patriots team captain for 2022. 

In the wake of losing former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (who left New England to become the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders), Jones occasionally struggled in New England’s attempts to incorporate a greater amount of zone run concepts (most notably, off the bootleg) into their offense throughout the summer.

Whether it be due to the change in offensive scheme, poor protection from his offensive line, or questionable decision-making, Jones and the Patriots have plenty of work to do heading into their regular season opener against the Miami Dolphins. Knowing his recent problems within the pocket, Miami is almost certain to dial-up some strategically placed blitzes from the second and third level of the defense in hopes of confusing him. Should the Pats offensive line fail to provide Jones with adequate security, it could be a long day in Miami Gardens on Sept. 11.

However, House remains convinced that Jones’ desire to maintain his poise, along with his drive to constantly improve, makes him the ideal steward of New England’s passing game. The 24-year-old is at his best when creating plays by leading his receivers under the defense, releasing the ball quickly and delivering it accurately. This provides his playmakers the space they needed to catch and run with the football.

While miraculous progress should not be expected in Week 1, House reminded the masses that 2022 is only the beginning of Jones’ journey to a solid NFL career.

“When you talk about the wonders of trainability, here is a young man who is just at the beginning of his skill acquisition window, which is age 19-to-20 until age 34-to-35,” said House. “So, if you do the math ... he’s got another 8-10 years of improvement ahead of him.”

Patience of that kind is a virtue not often found in New England. 

However, is House’s estimations are correct, the best may be yet to come for Mac Jones and the New England Patriots. 

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Patriots? Click Here

Follow Patriots Country on Twitter and Facebook