Mac Jones

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones reportedly told teammates he could play in Sunday's Week 4 road game against the Green Bay Packers despite an ankle injury.

Mike Giardi of the NFL Network reported an update on Jones' status Thursday:

The 24-year-old limped off the field late in the fourth quarter of New England's Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that tests confirmed he had suffered a "pretty severe" high ankle sprain and the hope was that surgery wouldn't be required.

Jones later told reporters he was optimistic about his recovery.

"I'm just going to take it day by day, get my treatment and do what I do," he said. "Just see how I feel."

Jones is off to a slow start this season. Through three games, he's thrown for 786 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 66 percent of his passes.

After being selected 15th overall in the 2021 NFL draft, the Alabama product emerged as the best quarterback of his class. He was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate in his rookie season after throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

He was the only first-year quarterback to lead his team to a winning record and a playoff appearance, though New England lost in the Wild Card Round to the Buffalo Bills.

If Jones is sidelined, New England will turn to veteran backup Brian Hoyer, who has lost each of his last 11 starts. Fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe will be elevated to his backup.

While not known for being the most outwardly optimistic person, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick did have a relatively positive update on Mac Jones' ankle injury.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Belichick said his starting quarterback has "made a lot of progress the last 48 hours" but they are taking a "day-by-day" approach before deciding if he could potentially start in Week 4.

Jones suffered an ankle injury on New England's final offensive play in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. His leg got tangled up with Calais Campbell, who brought pressure that led to the turnover.

After hopping to the sideline on one leg, Jones was taken to the locker room for examination. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the second-year quarterback suffered a "pretty severe" high-ankle sprain and he's seeking a second opinion to determine a timeframe to return.

During his Wednesday press conference, Belichick declined to answer a question about the exact nature of Jones' injury.

"What do I look like," he responded to a reporter. "A doctor? An orthopedic surgeon? Day-by-day."

If Jones is unable to play this week, Brian Hoyer will be in line to make his first start since Week 4 of the 2020 season. The 36-year-old has spent seven seasons with the Patriots over three different stints dating back to 2009.

Hoyer has a 16-23 career record in 39 starts. He has yet to appear in a game this season, but did go 9-of-11 for 227 yards and one touchdown across five games in limited duty during the 2021 campaign.

After a promising rookie season, Jones is off to a slow start through three games in 2022. The 24-year-old has thrown for 786 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions. He's tied with Matthew Stafford and Jameis Winston for most interceptions in the NFL.

New England is off to a 1-2 start for the second consecutive season. The team went on to win 10 games and make the playoffs as a wild card in 2021.

The Patriots will play the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones suffered a "pretty severe" high ankle sprain in Sunday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Monday that Jones is set to get a second opinion, but it's hard to imagine he'll be back for Week 4. Mike Giardi of NFL Network reported a team source said they would be "surprised" if Jones avoided surgery, especially "knowing it could speed up healing."

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Jones "is likely to miss multiple games":

Jones gave the Patriots a scare on their final offensive play in Foxborough. He was injured as he was hit by Calais Campbell while throwing an interception.

After hopping off the field, Jones had to be helped to the locker room. X-rays came back negative, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

It's been a rough start to the season for Jones and the offense. The team has scored 50 points through first three games, and the second-year signal-caller has thrown for 786 yards and two touchdowns with five interceptions.

Jones had a promising rookie campaign in 2021. He led all first-year quarterbacks in passing yards (3,801), passing touchdowns (22) and completion percentage (67.6) to help the Patriots make the playoffs as a wild card in the AFC.

Losing the Alabama product for any length of time will leave the Patriots in a vulnerable spot as they look to dig themselves out of a 1-2 hole in the AFC East.

Veteran Brian Hoyer will step in behind center until Jones returns. The 36-year-old appeared in five games for the Patriots last season and completed nine of 11 attempts for 227 yards and one touchdown with zero interceptions.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday's 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm the diagnosis, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

That news comes after Mike Giardi of NFL Network previously reported Jones was feared to possibly have tendon and/or ligament damage.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported earlier Sunday that X-rays returned negative.

Jones limped off the field with 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter after tossing his fifth interception of the season. He was then helped down the tunnel and into the locker room.

The 24-year-old reportedly experienced back spasms after New England's Week 1 loss to the Miami Dolphins, which forced his post-game press conference to be canceled.

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted the next day that the scans on his back came back "normal" and the team would continue to monitor him.

Jones had a disappointing performance in the season opener, finishing 21-of-30 for 213 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked twice, including a crushing blow on a blindside blitz that caused him to fumble the ball and Miami returned it for a touchdown.

He also sustained a big hit from two Dolphins players, one toward his upper body and one near his legs, on a fourth-quarter play that drew a roughing the passer penalty.

Despite the back ailment, Jones was able to return and play in the team's Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing for 252 yards and one touchdown against one interception.

The Alabama product was the fourth quarterback selected in the 2021 draft but proved himself to be the best of the bunch. In his rookie year, he was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate after starting all 17 games and throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 67.6 percent of his passes.

If Jones misses any time, longtime backup Brian Hoyer will take his place under center. The 14-year veteran has thrown for 10,631 yards, 53 touchdowns and 35 interceptions in 75 career games.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones told reporters he expects to play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers after reportedly suffering from back spasms in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins.

"Everything feels good," Jones said. "Just keeping it warm and throwing the football."

Jones went for X-rays after the Pats' 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported X-rays were negative and that Jones was believed to be suffering from back spasms.

Jones, who has started his second NFL season, played the entire game and went 21-of-30 for 213 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Jones burst onto the scene in 2021 after New England drafted him No. 15 overall out of Alabama. He helped lead the Pats to a 10-7 record, a playoff appearance and the No. 6 scoring offense in the NFL.

For the year, the ex-Crimson Tide star completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 22 touchdowns (13 interceptions) and 3,801 yards. He earned a Pro Bowl appearance for his efforts.

New England's offense is now under the leadership of Joe Judge and Matt Patricia after ex-offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left to become the Las Vegas Raiders head coach.

Week 1 was a rough debut for the new regime as Miami took a 17-0 lead en route to the 13-point win. New England's rushing attack had just 78 yards on 22 carries. Jones had a costly interception on the Patriots' opening drive, and eight of their nine drives ended scoreless.

Thankfully, Jones appears good to go for Week 2 against the Steelers, who won their opening game 23-20 against the Cincinnati Bengals but will be without reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt because of a pectoral injury. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday in Pittsburgh.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was diagnosed with back spasms after his X-rays came back negative, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

There is reportedly "a chance" Jones plays in his team's Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, per Rapoport.

Jones revealed a back injury after the season opener against the Miami Dolphins. He played all 17 games during his rookie campaign.

The 2022 season is figured to be an important one for Jones as he attempts to establish himself as the franchise quarterback for the Patriots, who selected him with the No. 15 pick of the 2021 draft.

This year didn't get off to the best start, with Jones turning it over twice in a 20-7 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday.

The Patriots could now turn toward veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer under center if Jones is sidelined.

They could do worse at backup than the 36-year-old, who has played for the Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts throughout his career, but developing Jones is a priority for the franchise.

Rookie fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe could also be an option.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones suffered a back injury during Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins, per Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick provided an update on Jones to WWEI 93.7's The Greg Hill Show on Monday:

Yeah, well, we'll see. What I've learned from many years of experience and doing this with so many different players and teams is that there's a lot of variation on where players are right after the game from where they are, let's call it, 12 to 18 hours after the game. So we'll see things are this morning and go from there.

The Patriots selected the 24-year-old with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft following his prolific junior season. He threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and four interceptions in his first full year as Alabama's starter. His 203.1 passing efficiency rating was the highest ever in a single FBS season at the time.

Many expected Jones to at least open 2021 as the backup to Cam Newton, who re-signed with New England in the offseason.

However, the Patriots released Newton, paving the way for Jones to get the nod in Week 1 against the Dolphins. He had more than earned the job with his performance in the preseason.

His poise during the regular season further justified the Patriots' faith in Jones. He threw for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions en route to finishing second in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.

New England's hopes of dethroning the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East will hinge largely on the performance of Jones in 2022, and he went 21-of-30 for 213 yards, one touchdown and one pick in the opener.

With that in mind, an injury to their starter causes obvious problems for the Patriots. Brian Hoyer's limitations are clear after his many years in the NFL, and rookie Bailey Zappe is unproven at this level.

Neither is an ideal alternative under center.

Odell Beckham Jr. will likely miss most of the 2022 NFL season as he recovers from an ACL tear, but he still has strong respect among his peers.

The free-agent wide receiver was ranked No. 90 in this year's iteration of the NFL 100 list, which asks players leaguewide to list the 100 best players in the sport.

The NFL revealed the players ranked 51st to 100th Sunday night on NFL Network:

Beckham is the only player in that group who is currently without a team. He split the 2021 season between the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams but is recovering from an ACL reconstruction. The three-time Pro Bowler was injured in the Rams' Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

It's the second time in three seasons that Beckham has suffered a torn ACL. While he's expected to garner significant interest upon his clearance for football activities, it's unclear what level of play he'll offer on a twice-reconstructed knee.

It's already a banner year for the 2021 NFL draft class, as Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (No. 91), New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (No. 85), Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater (No. 79), and Miami Dolphins wideout Jaylen Waddle (No. 63) make their debuts in the Top 100.

Jones is the only second-year quarterback to make the list after Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson struggled to live up to their hype and Trey Lance essentially took a redshirt year. The Patriots signal-caller was solid but unspectacular throughout his rookie campaign, throwing for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns against 13 interceptions while leading the Patriots to a wild-card berth.

Arriving to camp with a leaner physique and a determination to build on that success, Jones could be in store for a breakout sophomore campaign.

Interestingly enough, Waddle may become a better player in 2022 while finishing with worse numbers. Jones' former Alabama teammate was an instant-impact star during his rookie campaign, reeling in 104 passes for 1,015 yards and six touchdowns. However, the Dolphins made a massive investment—both financial and in terms of draft-pick compensation—to acquire Tyreek Hill this offseason.

Waddle will likely be hard-pressed to top 100 receptions for a second straight season as Hill takes over the WR1 spot.

Pitts, meanwhile, should be the top pass-catcher in the Falcons offense after becoming the second rookie tight end in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving. He'll be joined by rookie Drake London and a new quarterback in Marcus Mariota in what Atlanta hopes will be a revamped offense under coach Arthur Smith.