WATCH: Peyton Manning tells why Mac Jones denied his interview request
In Monday night’s Manningcast, Peyton Manning revealed that Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones denied his interview request. The NFL legend then explained why.
“I tried to talk to Mac Jones, “Manning began. “He was very respectful. He said, ‘Peyton, I wanna do it but can you call our PR director? He has to oversee things.’ I called and asked if I could talk to Mac Jones. I gotta tell ya, I appreciate how they’re handling things with Mac Jones. They’re tring to protect him and give him as few off the field distractions as possible and let him concentrate of playing football. So yes, I did get denied. It was the first quarterback I didn’t get to talk to. But I appreciate it.”
Manning went on to explain that this sort of treatment isn’t atypical when it comes to rookie quarterbacks. In fact, he was subject to the same rules during his first season in Indianapolis.
“The Colts did the same thing with me,” he said. “They didn’t let the marketing department or community relations department talk to me. They said, ‘It’s all football this first season. Don’t bother him.’ I think the Patriots are taking that same approach with Mac Jones, and it’s paying off.”
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The first-round pick out of Alabama has been impressive in his rookie season. Taking over as the starter for Cam Newton, he led all rookies in passing yards (2,850), touchdowns (16) and completion percentage (70.3%) entering Monday. The Patriots were also in the midst of a league-best six-game winning streak.
They extended that to seven games with a 14-10 victory on a snowy evening in Buffalo. Jones was essentially a non-factor, attempting just three passes. He finished with 19 yards as the Patriots maintained first place in the AFC East.
Although Monday wasn’t the best chance to showcase it, it’s clear the talent is there. With plenty more seasons ahead of him, Mac Jones will have countless more opportunities to be interviewed by Peyton Manning.