What Mac Jones said about facing former Alabama teammate Jalen Hurts in Week 1

Patriots

Jones, who backed up Hurts in college, will go head-to-head with his former teammate on Sunday.

It’s not often that an NFL quarterback says that they’re “proud of” a counterpart on an opposing team.

But, Mac Jones’s relationship with Jalen Hurts isn’t typical. Jones backed up Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa in college at Alabama.

The Patriots quarterback says he learned quite a bit from the Eagles quarterback during their time together.

“He’s obviously a great player,” Jones said. “I’ve been fortunate to play with him and learn a lot from him. He’s definitely a great quarterback. I just think back to the times we had, and I’m just really proud of him and everything he’s done in the NFL.”

Hurts enjoyed a breakout season last year, earning his first Pro Bowl selection and leading the Eagles to an appearance in the Super Bowl. Hurts signed a 5-year, $255 million contract with Philadelphia during the offseason.

One of the things that sets Hurts apart at the quarterback position is his running ability. Jones said the main thing he learned from working with Hurts was conditioning.

“I guess conditioning is the first thing,” Jones said. “Me and him were always running against each other. He’s definitely faster than me, but I feel like I gave him a good run for his money.”

“But, I’ve learned a lot from him just leading off the field and in the 4th quarter (offseason conditioning) program we had,” Jones continued. “He just did such a good job running, leading, never showing any emotions. He just did his thing. I learned a lot from him there, and then on the field there’s a lot too, so I really appreciate him.”

Hurts eventually transferred from Alabama and finished his college career at Oklahoma. Jones said he learned from the way Hurts handled the situation.

“I think there’s a lot of learning lessons and, definitely took a lot of that. Love to see him bounce back and do a great job,” Jones said. “In college, he went through a lot, he transferred, played well everywhere he’s been. It’s just who he is. It’s Jalen Hurts. He’s just a great player, a great person and a good friend.”