NFL Rumors: Mac Jones ‘Energized' by Bill O'Brien as Patriots' New OC

Report: Mac Jones is 'energized' by arrival of O'Brien as new OC originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The upcoming 2023 NFL season is a pivotal one for Mac Jones, and it sounds like the New England Patriots quarterback is impressing teammates and coaches with his work during the offseason.

Longtime NFL/Patriots reporter Mike Giardi tweeted Friday a few updates on Jones, including a note that the 2021 first-round pick has been "energized" by the arrival of Bill O'Brien as the team's new offensive coordinator.

Continued positive reviews from teammates/coaches who have been around Mac Jones the longest.
- "Confident. Leading like we know he can."
- "Ready to remind you (media/fans) why he was a playoff QB in year one."
- "Energized" by the change (Bill O'Brien as OC). pic.twitter.com/RQRRRqavHY

— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) May 19, 2023

The Patriots offense struggled for a lot of reasons last season. Matt Patricia serving as the play-caller and de facto offensive coordinator, and Joe Judge working as the quarterbacks coach were among the primary issues.

The 2023 season will be far different in that regard. O'Brien has taken over as both the OC and QB coach. Patricia left to join the Philadelphia Eagles, and while Judge remains with the Patriots, he is in a different role. 

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O'Brien is a fantastic offensive coach and has enjoyed lots of success with different quarterbacks at the pro and college levels. He also has plenty of prior experience with the Patriots from his five seasons on the offensive staff from 2007 through 2011.

His knowledge and expertise should be super helpful for Jones, who has a lot of potential but underwhelmed last season. Jones missed three games with an ankle injury in 2022, but when he was healthy enough to play, the 24-year-old quarterback didn't live up to expectations. He completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 2,997 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 14 games. Jones completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 22 touchdowns with 13 interceptions in 17 games as a rookie in 2021.

After a difficult season, Jones has all of the motivation he needs to bounce back with a stellar Year 3. And based on the information from Giardi's tweet above, it sounds like Jones is eager to prove his doubters wrong next season.