Mac Jones on Tom Brady: ‘He definitely did a good job’ with Patriots

"We all want to play to that standard."

Mac Jones Tom Brady
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones goes through practice under the watchful eye of Josh McDaniels. Barry Chin/Globe Staff

Patriots quarterback Mac Jones will face plenty of comparisons to Tom Brady this season, whether he (or the organization) likes it or not.

On Wednesday, Jones was asked about Brady and the pressure he feels following in the footsteps of a legendary QB who set a high standard.

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“I think obviously he’s a great player, and the word ‘standard’ kind of hit me there,” Jones said. “Because we all want to play to that standard, ‘The Patriot Way,’ and it really comes down to just doing your job. As a quarterback, that’s leading the people around you as best I can and that’s also executing the play, so hand it off or throw it is how it comes down to.”

The reporter wasn’t ready to let Jones dodge the question that cleanly and asked if he had spent any time reflecting on Brady’s legacy.

“He definitely did a good job,” Jones said. “When I first got here, just watching all the tape, I’ve watched all the quarterbacks, obviously he was on there and he did a really, really good job. Hopefully I can do a good job too.”

The questions will only heat up as Jones’s showdown with Brady at Gillette Stadium in Week 4 approaches, but he has plenty to prove beforehand, starting with the Dolphins on Sunday.

Jones admitted he will be nervous.

“It’s my first time out there, but at the same time, we’ve all been playing for a long time, and it’s all of us together,” Jones said. “It’s really not a one-man show at all. It takes all 11 people. I’ve really got to focus and do my job on each play and take it play by play.”

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The Patriots, meanwhile, remain cautiously optimistic about Jones.

“Mac has a lot of strengths, but we’re looking at a whole different level than what he was at,” Belichick said. “So we’ll see how it goes in the NFL.”

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