Patriots Get Update on Potential Mac Jones Suspension for Sauce Gardner Hit
By Tyler Maher
The New England Patriots earned a hard-fought 15-10 win over the New York Jets in Week 3, but the victory didn’t come without its share of controversy.
A brief skirmish broke out on the field after a play when Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner pushed Patriots quarterback Mac Jones to the ground, apparently in retaliation for a dirty hit. After the game, Gardner claimed that Jones hit him in the cup, which Jones denied doing intentionally.
While the play has stirred up a lot of controversy (and intense video scrutiny) between both fan bases over the last few days, it sounds like Jones won’t miss any time because of the incident.
#Patriots QB Mac Jones isn't expected to be suspended for allegedly cup-checking #Jets CB Sauce Gardner in Sunday's game.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 26, 2023
Jones said Monday nothing was intentional. The NFL reviews all plays and it's possible, though not certain, that Jones could be fined.
Mac Jones Sauce Gardner Hit: Suspension Update
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday morning that Jones is not expected to be suspended for his role in the brawl, which the NFL is reviewing. He may still be fined, but again, isn’t likely to miss any time.
This is good news for the Patriots, who have a tough Week 4 road matchup coming up against the Dallas Cowboys. New England’s going to need Jones under center if it wants to pull off the upset.
While Jones may have escaped serious discipline this time, Gardner’s allegation (true or not) still reinforces Jones’ reputation as a dirty player. That’s definitely not something you want to be known for in the NFL, especially as a quarterback when you’re going to get hit hard every game.
Regardless of whether Jones hit Gardner or not, he needs to clean up his act and stop pulling stunts like this. It’s happened too many times before, and he’s not a rookie anymore. He needs to grow up and start acting more respectable on the field.
Otherwise, he may be forced to miss actual time at some point, and that’s going to hurt his teammates more than the opposing player that Jones hit.
Think Jones can help the Pats beat the Cowboys this week? Make sure to bet on it at DraftKings Sportsbook, which is giving new users a $350 bonus for just a $5 wager. Their latest new-user promo pays out a $200 bonus guaranteed plus up to $150 in no-sweat bets whether your first $5 wager wins or loses. Just sign up through the exclusive Chowder and Champions link below to unlock your $350!
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.