Mac Jones opens up a bit on mental state: "It's hard when you're under a magnifying glass all the time"

BOSTON -- When Mac Jones speaks into a microphone, he usually likes to keep things as general as possible. Spending four years in Nick Saban's program and three years under Bill Belichick in New England has surely taught him that it's best not to give the media much of anything to work with when it comes to forming narratives. The end result is often a bouquet of cliches in a flurry of words that doesn't amount to much.

Yet on Friday, toward the end of his relaxed meeting with the media in Frankfurt, Jones opened up a bit about himself when asked if he works with any mental coaches to help guide him through tough moments and seasons like the current one that has the Patriots at 2-7.

"Yeah, I've had a few people that I've trusted since I've been little and have worked with them," Jones replied. "At the end of the day, it's all about trust and communication."

At that point, Jones opted to go a little bit deeper on the topic, admitting that being in the spotlight as an NFL quarterback comes with a lot of pressure and attention.

"Yeah, that's a great point. There's a lot of -- people see a lot of the good, but there's also things that are not so good. And it's hard when you're under a magnifying glass all the time," a reflective Jones admitted. "There's a lot of things I've improved on, and there's a lot of things I need to continue to work on. So definitely have great people in my circle and have a lot of trust in those people, and I think a lot of elite athletes do that around the world and make sure that their mental game is good, too."

Jones is obviously in the midst of the most adversity he's faced on the field during his collegiate and pro career. And while the second half of the season may not have tremendous meaning for the Patriots overall, Jones -- who's still trying to prove he belongs as an NFL starting quarterback -- has a lot riding on his personal performance.