The Kraft’s Didn’t Like How Belichick Handled Mac

By Steve Atkinson 

One of the reasons Belichick was fired was how he handled Mac Jones. This is not fake news it’s real and been reported on. The Kraft pick in 2021 was a hope that the Patriots would be all set at quarterback for the foreseeable future. That was the case in 2021 but then things took a turn in 2022. Belichick bringing in Patricia and Judge in 2022 and not surrounding him talent in 2023 led to Belichick’s dismal. This from Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston

Keeping that in mind, ownership had to weigh the following. Belichick’s draft record has been spotty since 2013. His return on a record-setting free agent splurge in ’21 was meager. Jones’ decline from promising Brady replacement to literally unusable is, in the eyes of ownership, tied directly to Belichick’s coaching staff decisions after Josh McDaniels left. And the inability to find, sign and/or develop offensive talent has made the offense unwatchable.

That quote tells me the Patriots won’t draft a quarterback in the first round and draft Marvin Harrison Jr. Then will draft an offensive tackle spend at receiver for legit talent. Then give Mac a real shot in 2024 with Josh McDaniel’s coming in and possibly helping Bill O’Brien run the offense. Mac did fine with McDaniel’s in 2021 then Belichick messed it up with his coaching decisions which ownership believes as well from the above quote.

Jeff Howe also wrote this weekend that Bill Belichick wanted Davis Mills in the 2021 NFL Draft but to be more collaborative they went with Mac Jones instead.

Belichick appeared content to wait for Davis Mills, who fell to Caserio’s Texans in the third round, but relinquished to the staff’s strong push for Jones, according to league sources. After previously vowing to be more collaborative, Belichick recognized he couldn’t go back on his word with his first selection under the new approach

So Belichick in 2022 and 2023 purposely sabotaged Mac and the offense to stick it to  Robert Kraft. According to ESPN the reason Belichick kept playing Mac this season even though he was struggling was to stick it to Kraft.

Belichick Held Mac Jones Back Two Years

The Kraft’s hated how Belichick handled the quarterback situation and put a wedge between Mac and Zappe that started in 2022. It was very important for Robert Kraft that Mac Jones did well in 2023 under Bill O’Brien it has now come out that Belichick undermined it and made it about himself. Here was Kraft last off-season

Kraft Said Hiring Bill O’Brien in 2022 was in full cooperation by Belichick

I’m very happy that we were able to bring in a new offensive coordinator to help develop our young quarterback Mac Jones,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a FOX Business interview Friday, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels. “Bringing in Bill O’Brien has been a big a plus for our franchise. That was done in full cooperation with coach Belichick

Belichick instead went defense in the draft

The Boston Herald reported last week that people around the team were upset the focus wasn’t on offense in the draft

“We didn’t invest in the offensive line until the fourth round, didn’t take a receiver until the sixth,” a third source said. “How do we spend the first three picks on defense when tackle was the biggest problem on the team last year?”

We’ll see on Wednesday at Jerod Mayo’s press conference where they stand with Mac Jones. But from what I’ve read so far he’s the quarterback in 2024 and maybe beyond.