Doug Pederson’s hilarious Mac Jones comments prove Jaguars were perfect spot for him

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded for Mac Jones in the offseason. At the time, they were the only team vying for the services. Looking back, it's a good thing he landed with them. Head coach Doug Pederson's comments after the 31-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 of the preseason showed that the Jags were the perfect destination for him.

Pederson told the press corps after the win over Atlanta that he was pleased with how Jones played, pointing out that he needs to remind the fourth-year quarterback at times that he no longer suits up for the New England Patriots.

"Mac has played extremely well the last couple of weeks and has bought into what we do," Pederson said. "He'll still revert back to his Patriot ways every now and then, and we got to remind him he's in Jacksonville, but he's done a good job. He's doing a good job managing and running the offense, getting everybody involved. He sees the field well, throws a good ball."

After fellow quarterback Trevor Lawrence led two scoring drives, Jones entered the field. While he needed a bit of time to hit his stride, he marched 70 yards down the field on eight plays before halftime to throw his first touchdown of the night. The former first-round pick once again drove 70 yards down the field, this time on 13 plays, early in the third quarter to make it 28-0.

Jones went 13-of-17 for 113 yards with one touchdown. The game prior, he completed 16 of 23 passes for 210 yards with two touchdowns. Although the fourth-year quarterback didn't score against the Kansas City Chiefs in the preseason opener, he fared well, going 9-of-11 for 98 yards.

A first-round pick in 2021, Jones made the Pro Bowl and led New England to the Patriots in his rookie campaign. However, the revolving door at offensive coordinator hindered his development, and he was benched several times the past two seasons.

Having given up on him, the Patriots placed Jones on the trade block but because his market was non-existent, the Jaguars were able to get him for just a measly sixth-round selection.

Right off the bat, Jones got his confidence back and looked like the player he was early in his career. Throughout offseason activities and training camp, he appeared to be having the time of his life. Here's Pederson's full exchange with the media in case you want to give it a look. The Mac Jones comments start at the 4:57 mark.

The Jaguars have the perfect backup for Trevor Lawrence in Mac Jones

Trevor Lawrence is the unquestioned starter in Jacksonville but the Jaguars should be glad they have a backup of Mac Jones' caliber in the fold. After all, how often can you say that you have two starting-caliber quarterbacks on your roster?

When you take into account that several clubs don't have even one viable quarterback, it's fair to say that the Jaguars have an enviable situation at the position. The downside is that the Jaguars will probably have Jones for just one season. They already gave Lawrence a $275 million contract that makes him one of the highest-paid players in team history. They also gave extensions to Josh Hines-Allen and Tyson Campbell in the offseason, so they won't have the flexibility to make many splash moves in 2025, let alone keep two quarterbacks on the payroll.

Based on how Jones has performed in the offseason, he's played his way out of Jacksonville in 2025, but the Jaguars should most definitely be thrilled that they were able to acquire him at such a bargain rate.

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