TRANSCRIPT: Jonathan Jones Press Conference 7/23
Follow us
Follow Us
🕑 Read Time: 6 minutes
Posted Under: Patriots Transcripts
HOME > Patriots Blog > Patriots Transcripts
Here’s the full transcript of what New England Patriots defensive back Jonathan Jones had to say on Tuesday, July 23, 2024:
On how different it is being the longest-tenured player on defense and looking around and there’s no Bill Belichick:
“It’s been different. I mean, even in the spring, it was different, but we’re starting to build that camaraderie with the guys. There’s a lot of new faces on defense, on the team in general, coaches I think now is just the time for everybody to keep going and meeting each other and building that connection.”
On head coach Jerod Mayo also putting an emphasis on camaraderie and if he feels compelled to make an extra effort to do that:
“Definitely. Like I said, it’s a lot of new faces. I think when you go out there and compete on Sundays, you want to know the guys next to you as much as possible. That’s what training camp is. You build those relationships. A lot of those things happen off the field, whether it’s in the locker room, chatting about a guy, learning his family, learning where he’s from, just building that connection. It’s more so an off the field thing, and that carries over onto the field. You’re like, ‘I trust this guy. I know why he’s here. I know his reason.’ And those things just carry over onto the field.”
On the fact he’s coming off a procedure this offseason and if he’s a full go for training camp:
“Yeah, ready to go. Just kind of cleaned up some things I was dealing with last season. I wanted to get it done early in the spring, and be ready to go now.”
On the fact it seems like there’s a lot of young cornerbacks in the locker room and what he makes of the competition:
“Yeah, it’s a lot of young guys, but man, they’re hungry. Those guys, they come in every day. They’re working hard. It’s good to see just the energy they come in with from Gonzo [Christian Gonzalez] to Double A [Alex Austin]. Those guys are coming in and competing and working hard.”
On what he’s seen from Christian Gonzalez:
“Much of the same. Since he’s been here last year, he comes in, doesn’t say much. He reminds me of [Stephon] Gilmore in the sense it doesn’t really say much, but when they step out on the field, they’re playmakers. It’s exciting to see him back, coming him off an injury, I think it’s going to be good for him.”
On if he’s seen any differences in Gonzalez on the field compared to last year:
“No, just coming out and working. I think, like you said, once we get out in pads, that’s when it shows, especially a guy like him. He’s a physical corner, long skillset, being able to put his hands on guys. So when we get out some pads, I think it’ll show. ”
On if he took any flights [he earned his pilots license last April]:
“I did. A couple of flights here and there, trying to build the hours in the new TBM, so exciting.”
Any good destinations?
“Went down to Charleston, flew up here a few times, flew to the Ron Burton Training Village. That was awesome. It was a great event.”
On where we’re going to see him defensively this year:
“Like every year, just wherever they need me. I enjoy playing football, whether it’s inside, outside, safety. I’ve done it all here in my career here, and I’m just enjoying playing where the team needs me. I’m prepared to play there.”
On the fact they haven’t had a true free safety since Devin McCourty left and if they need that:
“I don’t know. I mean, we have a lot of good safeties. I think the good thing between Pep [Jabril Peppers] and Doug [Kyle Dugger] is you don’t know who is where, what. They can kind of disguise a little bit more who’s going to line up at free, who’s going to line up at strong. But it’s always good to have a guy like Devin, who’s back there as a general manager of the defense and kind of coaching and getting guys lined up. I wouldn’t say you need it, but it’s always good to have a guy like that. ”
On if it’s strange for him to look up and be one of the most senior players on the team:
“It goes fast. I remember talking to Devin and Slate [Matthew Slater] when I first got here, and those were guys that I kind of leached onto and said, ‘Hey, I want to be where you are.’ And they were in year 8 and 9. And so I was talking to Slate the other day, and he goes, ‘You’re the old guy now.’ He said, ‘You’re the guy guys are dependent on to show them the way.’ But it’s simple. Just continue to do the same things I’ve always done. Come in, work hard, and guys will follow suit.”
On what it’s like to have Matthew Slater as someone he can still walk up to and talk to him:
“I mean, a lot. Just his wisdom. Having [Dont’a] Hightower back, having guys like that who you’ve shared time with on the field, but now they’re a different aspect, and they have a different angle of the game. It’s just getting their perspective on things. So it’s great to have.”
On the fact he came into the league around the same time as Jacoby Brissett and if they’ve conversed about how fast everything has gone by:
“Just a lot. I mean, just even when we got back here in the spring, I was like, ‘We came in together,’ and you look up. Guys go different places. Coming in the year nine, he’s been around and coming back here. It’s a journey. It’s just to go to show the younger guys, you never know where you’re going to end up. You never know what place you might leave and come back to. He’s a great teammate. He was a great teammate before, and I’m excited to get back out there with him.”
On what he saw from Brissett back then:
“He was always a student of the game. When he first got here, I remember when he had to step in for Tom [Brady] for those games and just seeing how he carried himself. He’s always had this mature presence about himself, and he’s continued that.”
On the fact Mayo talked about building a foundation and a blend of old and young players, and the fact he’s in the last year of his contract and where he sees himself fitting in:
“That’s it. It’s a new page. And so as far as me this year, it’s just continuing to do the things that I’ve always done. I know it sounds cliché, but at the end of the day, that’s what it is, and just showing those guys and helping them. I think that’s what Devin, that’s what Slate, Hightower, that’s what those guys did for me. And so being in that place now and showing them how to be a professional, just the little simple things. And for me, the story will write itself, but just showing up and continuing to go.”
On if he takes joy in that and passing on those things himself:
“Definitely. You look up one day and you’re the guy just learning, and you’re taking it all in. You’re taking it all in. One day, a guy walks in and he’s looking at you for the answers, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I do have some information. I have some things that I can share. So you take on a different responsibility, and I’ve embraced it.”
On the fact Mike Pellegrino was complimentary of him and what he’s been like as a coach:
“Me and him came in together in a sense, and kind of the same mentality, just a guy that no one had any expectations from him as a coach, from me as a player when I first got here, and just worked. He’s worked a lot and improved as a coach, and I’ve kind of done the same as a player. I think that’s the respect that we have for each other. He’s going to go above and beyond to get guys the information, get them film. He’ll do anything you ask for him as a coach. When you have a guy like that who’s willing to do whatever, you’ll go through the wall for him.
On Davon Godchaux and Matthew Judon and how important those guys are:
“I mean, a lot. I mean, football, especially on defense, it starts up front. Those guys make a lot of plays, especially Davon. Those plays aren’t always calculated in the stat book, but those are plays that are necessary. And Judon, putting pressure on the quarterbacks, it makes our job easier. And so you build a defense from the front, back and so they’re very important.”
On the fact the defense was a bright spot last year yet people are already writing the Patriots off, and what he thinks about that and what his message is to that:
“It’s a new challenge. As long as I’ve been here, we were always kind of the favorites. It’s always been expectations. And so now it’s like they have us with no expectations. And so it’s kind of a new challenge for us as a team to come out and say, ‘Hey, no one expects us to do anything.’ Take it in stride and take it one day at a time. We can’t look towards playoffs. You can’t look towards week 10, 11, 12. Look towards week one. And if you do everything you can between now and week one to put a great product out there week one, there are going to be mistakes in week one. And then you learn from week two and just build day by day. And halfway through the season, we’ll analyze what we need to do and continue to move forward.”
“Thank you. Appreciate it.”
(Editor’s Note: This transcript is done via the available footage and is subject to typos. If you spot something, please take a moment to let me know in the comments below.)
From our archive - this week all-time:
April 10 - April 25 (Through 26yrs)
Join 2,000+ fans getting exclusive stats, analysis, and insights delivered straight to their inbox every week. Never miss a play.
