Patriots head coach Bill Belichick finally addressed the trade rumors that had been swirling for quarterback Mac Jones.
Over the weekend, Belichick made it clear that Jones, like the rest of the Patriots roster, will have to prove himself heading into the 2023 season.
But it sounds like Jones is here to stay in New England.
"Yeah, I mean, look, Mac's been our quarterback for two years," Belichick said, via ESPN's Mike Reiss. "As I tell the team every year, each player, each coach, we all have to re-establish and prove ourselves every year. That's what this league is. That's for all of us -- '23 is '23. We'll see how '23 goes."
Jones is coming off an up-and-down past two seasons for the Patriots.
He played well as a rookie in 2021, but struggled at times in 2022, leading to a benching in favor of Bailey Zappe.
Should he be the starter in 2023?