This Sunday, Mac Jones will become the first rookie quarterback to start a New England Patriots season opener since Drew Bledsoe in 1993.
It’s the culmination of a four-month journey for Jones, whose performance in training camp and the preseason convinced the Patriots to cut 2020 starter Cam Newton last week and hand the keys to the first-round draft pick.
Jones always was going to leapfrog Newton eventually. His talent, potential and intangibles were obvious. But to win the Week 1 starting job? That surprised many, even those who watched both QBs on a daily basis this summer.