Jonathan Jones isn’t a captain. But he’s one of the longest tenured Patriots. And, he’s been one of the few remaining players who was a part of two Super Bowl-winning teams.
That’s why the veteran cornerback felt compelled to address the team following Sunday’s 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
What was his message, following the Patriots sixth-straight loss?
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During his appearance on WEEI’s afternoon show, Jones said the Patriots were hopeful of turning the season around. They wanted to get back headed in the right direction but weren’t able to do that.
“(My message) was like, ‘Guys, it’s our team. We have to pick it up. It’s on us,’’’ Jones said. “Just show some type of resilience. And when things start to get down hill, we have to find a way to turn that around. It starts with each one of us looking ourselves in the mirror. Through adversity, you see what type of man you are.
“We’re in the middle of adversity. So I was just challenging guys to look themselves in the mirror and continue to move forward.”
Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye mentioned Jones’ speech during his post-game presser. That had to be a sign his words were received.
“I think the team just understands what we need,” Jones said. “I think at this point, it’s become repetitive. Whether I’m saying it, coach is saying it, someone else is saying it, other leaders on the team, it’s just become repetitive what’s being said.
“At some point, you just have to go out and there and do it. That’s another part of my message. We’ll continue to do the same thing if we don’t go out there and actively change it.”
Asked if he was concerned about players taking to social media to vent, or others pointing fingers in the locker room, those type of brush fires, Jones said he wasn’t particularly bothered.
“That happens,” he said. “It’s the leaders job to get those guys on the same track as everyone else. It’s a team sport. It’s the ultimate team sport. You can’t point fingers to one person when we win, and you definitely can’t point fingers to one person when we lose. We just have to stick together and fight. This is our team we have for this year. And we have to stick together through whatever comes our way.”
His reaction to Jerod Mayo calling the team soft?
“That’s his opinion, and I always take the opinions of what our coaches to heart,” Jones answered.
