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Mac Jones was able to get his 'joy of playing football' back with the Jaguars this season
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- Mac Jones was able to get his 'joy of playing football' back with the Jaguars this season
Mac Jones was able to find joy again this season. That's something he credits to former head coach Doug Pederson .
"I feel like I got the joy of playing football again, just in OTAs, and he keeps it real loose and everything," Jones said during locker room cleanout last week. "Really appreciate him for that."
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The former Bolles quarterback was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars last offseason and just wrapped up the final year of his rookie contract.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Jones left New England as a new regime came in and did not have plans for him in the future.
He was able to return to his hometown team in a reserve role and did his best to guide Jacksonville when called upon due to Trevor Lawrence's injuries .
Jones is set to be a free agent, and while he is keeping his goal of becoming a starter in the NFL again , he didn't close the door on returning to his hometown team next season.
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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) and quarterback Mac Jones (10) look to pass during an organized team activity Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla.
Could Jones return to Jacksonville to be Lawrence's backup next season? It's possible.
"I think everything's on the table. I think that's part of the evaluation," he told reporters. "I want to put myself in the best position to be a great quarterback and help the team, whether that's as a starter or not."
Jones started the final five games of the season , completing 114 of 170 pass attempts for 1,160 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions during that stretch.
The Jaguars went 2-3 in those games, struggling to produce results and unable to save their season as they dropped 10 games by one-score. It's the most one-score losses in the Super Bowl era, per ESPN Stats & Information.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) reacts to throwing a touchdown during the second quarter of a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-7. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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Fingers can be pointed at Jones for Jacksonville's struggles, but there were several factors at play. Jacksonville's defense struggled consistently and the offense couldn't run the ball effectively down the stretch.
It remains to be seen if Jones will receive a shot to compete for a starting spot. And he's open to the possibility of being a backup.
He'll conduct his offseason review and work on correcting whatever he finds. But in his mind, he's proved that he can play in the NFL and be an NFL quarterback.
"I just know that I can play in this league," Jones said. "I'm looking forward to just learning learn how to get better."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Mac Jones got his 'joy' back this season with Jags after stint with Patriots
