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NFL defensive back Darius Slay calls out Mac Jones for 'dirty' plays

Chandler Vesselsby:Chandler Vessels•12/25/22•

ChandlerVessels

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Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay had some choice words for Patriots quarterback Mac Jones on Sunday. After NFL reporter Dov Kleiman called Jones a “dirty player” and posted four examples from the past two seasons in a tweet, Slay chimed in to agree.

“Dirty af!!” the Eagles defensive back wrote.

The incidents that Kleiman highlighted all involved Jones either grabbing onto a players leg to trip them or sliding into their legs. On the final example, Jones slides and then appears to kick up at Bears safety Jaquan Brisker, who jumps up in the air to avoid it but is forced to leave the field with injury. Fortunately, Brisker returned to the game and got his payback by intercepting Jones in the second quarter.

Mac Jones and Darius Slay have not played each other in Jones’ two-year career, and are not scheduled to meet this season. A first-round pick out of Alabama in 2021, Jones has served as New England’s starting quarterback for the past two years.

After throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as a rookie, Jones has endured a bit of a sophomore slump in 2022. Through 12 games this season, he has 2,550 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Patriots are 7-8 and just outside the playoffs with two games remaining.

The most recent example of Jones’ dirty play came on Christmas Eve, when Jones dove in front of Cincinnati defensive back Eli Apple

Mac Jones dives in front of Eli Apple on perceived dirty play

Patriots quarterback Mac Jones appeared to use a chaotic fumble return by the Bengals as a chance to dive into Eli Apple‘s legs on Saturday. The second-year quarterback was running in pursuit of the ball carrier, until he appeared to stop and throw his body into the legs of Eli Apple who was also running down the field at the time.

Bengals cornerback Eli Apple wasn’t happy with Patriots QB Mac Jones seemingly taking out his legs on the Cincinnati fumble return, which was called back,” detailed NESN‘s Sean T. McGuire.

“Of course I did [notice it]. He tripped me,” said Apple via McGuire. “I thought it was a dirty play. He’s done that before, I’ve seen it.”

It was unclear initially what Jones’ decision was made for, as he was on the defensive side of the play after the turnover. Instead of needing to help “make a block” or anything similar, it appeared initially to fans and Apple that Jones was deliberately diving to trip the potentially unaware defender.