New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones joins Yahoo Sports’ Liz Loza on Radio Row at SB LVI. The Pro Bowl quarterback talks about his whirlwind first season. Are there any similarities between his last two coaches Nick Saban and Bill Belichick. What was his reaction to Tom Brady’s retirement? Mac Jones joins Yahoo Sports thanks to NOBULL.

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Video Transcript

[CHEERING]

LIZ LOLA: Welcome into to Radio Row at Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. I am now joined by Patriots Pro Bowl quarterback Mac Jones. Thanks for joining us, Mac.

MAC JONES: Yes, thanks for having me.

LIZ LOLA: Absolutely. What a rookie season you had-- pretty incredible. Do you have a highlight maybe of what you're most proud of?

MAC JONES: Yeah, I think just the whole experience was definitely a long season. But just meeting all the new people, the new coaches, players-- everything's new at first, and that's what makes it fun. But we had a lot of fun, but we definitely want to win more games and stuff like that. So we got a lot of work to do.

LIZ LOLA: So is it tough to see your offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels move across the country to Vegas and now be the head coach of the Raiders?

MAC JONES: Yeah, I'm really happy for him. I mean, we talked and all that, and I understand what was going on. And it's a great opportunity for him and his family. So I'm definitely excited to watch him. And in terms of our part of that, we're just looking forward to working with whoever, you know, they bring in.

And I've had good experience at Alabama. You know, we had a coordinator. Then he would leave, et cetera. So I've had good experience there, and I just try to improve myself as a player and then build the trust from the coaches. And that's what I've always done.

LIZ LOLA: I like that you mentioned Alabama because you pretty much went from the GOAT of college football coaches, Nick Saban, to the GOAT of NFL head coaches, Bill Belichick. What similarities do they share?

MAC JONES: Yeah. Obviously, they're close friends, and everything goes back to winning. But it's also about how can you get there and what you can do to become a better person and player. And obviously I've done that this past year, just learned so much, you know, some of it different, some of it the same as Alabama.

But it's all just a learning experience, and they have a lot of knowledge. And they've been around the game for a super, super long time. And it's just cool to kind of sit back, you know, after the season and realize like who I've got a chance to play quarterback for, and hopefully I can do that for a long time.

LIZ LOLA: So obviously you playing for the Patriots-- there were a ton of comparisons to Tom Brady. But now that he has retired, how did that feel for you personally?

MAC JONES: Yeah, I think Tom's a great player and obviously one of the best to ever do it. And I love watching him know growing up and then obviously watching him in the system that I'm in now, and learning, and hearing stories about how hard he works and all that. So it was just a pleasure to be able to hear about him.

I don't really know him like personally that well, but we got to play against each other and all that. So it's really cool, and he just had a great career, a storybook career. And, you know, I'm super happy for him. You know he's gonna do great at whatever he wants to do.

LIZ LOLA: Do you think his retirement kind of eases the pressure for you in New England?

MAC JONES: I think there's pressure no matter what. So no matter what I do.

LIZ LOLA: Boston fans don't joke around.

MAC JONES: Yeah, true. It's great because it makes it know more fun, and we got to work harder to relieve the pressure. And that's what makes you work hard every day.

LIZ LOLA: I was watching the Pro Bowl, which you were mic'd up for. I heard a clip, and you were talking a little bit of trash to Devin White and Darius Slay.

MAC JONES: Yeah, yeah.

LIZ LOLA: Is there an alter ego that we don't know about?

MAC JONES: Where were you at the whole drive? The whole drive?

- Ah!

MAC JONES: The whole drive you were playing on your phone. What's up, bro? Remember when I torched y'all in training camp?

- No.

MAC JONES: It's like training camp.

- Hell no!

MAC JONES: When I torched y'all.

- Hell no!

- There was two of y'all last training camp.

MAC JONES: No way! When I went in?

- Yeah, that was you throwing. You were throwing.

MAC JONES: Right, that was good. Yeah, stop lifting so many weights.

I wouldn't call it an alter ego. Anybody that knows me knows I like to have fun. It's just know, you know, it could be a different type of fun each day.

LIZ LOLA: Oh, OK.

MAC JONES: Some days I'll talk trash, some days I won't. But it comes out, and that's like what my dad always tells me is just have fun with it.

LIZ LOLA: You are here with No Bull apparel. Can you talk to me about your partnership with them?

MAC JONES: Yeah, I've been wearing their stuff since college, and they're a New England-based company.

LIZ LOLA: Well, that's fitting.

MAC JONES: Yeah, footwear and athletic apparel. And, you know, what stood out to me was just what they stand for, and that's hard work and no excuses. So that's kind of what I'm about is just working really hard, and putting my head down, and going to work. So I'm excited to rep their brand.

LIZ LOLA: Awesome. Well, thank you so much for joining us, Mac.

MAC JONES: Yeah, for sure.

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