No Suspension Expected For Patriots QB Mac Jones For Below-Belt Blow

According to Ian Rapoport, Patriots QB Mac Jones is not expected to be suspended for striking Jets CB Sauce Gardner below the belt. 

Jones — who is starting to accumulate a history of these post-play conflicts with defensive players — says the contact was not intentional. Gardner and others have posted video of the incident. It’s not super clear or obvious but it does appear to show contact from Jones to Gardner’s groin. 

Pelissero says it’s possible Jones could be fined for the incident. 

Jones, 25, took over as the starter for Alabama in 2020 and led one of the best offenses in school history. He was a consensus All-American as a redshirt junior and won the Davey O’Brien Award before declaring for the draft. The Patriots took Jones with pick No. 15 overall in 2021.

Jones signed a four-year, $15,586,353 contract with the Patriots that includes a $8,695,530 signing bonus. The Patriots will have a fifth-year option to pick up on him in 2024. 

In 2022, Jones has appeared in three games for the Patriots and completed 64.8 percent of his pass attempts for 748 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed 11 times for 53 yards. 

We’ll have more on Jones as the news is available.