Patriots’ Jakobi Meyers gets honest about Mac Jones leaving mid-game

New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers contributed with a touchdown but the team fell short Monday night against the Chicago Bears, 33-14.

Meyers had a touchdown catch on a pass from Bailey Zappe, who came in for Mac Jones after the second-year quarterback lasted three drives. Meyers finished with two catches for 34 yards on two targets.

The quarterback controversy brewing in New England was exacerbated as Jones, who came back from a high-ankle sprain to start against the Bears, threw an interception on his third and final drive. Zappe came in and led the Patriots to two touchdowns on his first two drives before the Bears turned on the jets and scored 23 unanswered points in the win.

Meyers was asked about the quarterback situation that’s bubbling up in Foxborough. He told reporters he was surprised Jones came out of the game quickly but acknowledged how fast things change in the NFL.

BEARS UNFAZED BY PATRIOTS’ MID-GAME QUARTERBACK CHANGE, SCORE 23 UNANSWERED IN WIN

He was then asked about adjusting to a new quarterback in the middle of the game as fans cheered for Zappe.

“Not even as a football player, it’s tough as a man to see somebody who worked so hard, get that kind of treatment, but at the end of the day, we’re all trying to feed our families,” he said. “We gotta go out there and make plays with whoever throwing it.”

He later elaborated on the remarks, according to the Boston Herald.

“Not even the coaches, just everybody. The crowd, all of it. It was an ugly situation, in my opinion,” Meyers said.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said that playing Jones and Zappe was a part of his planning. He said Jones wasn’t benched and didn’t come out of the game because of an injury or the interception.

Jones said Belichick communicated the plan to him before the game.

“I think we had a good plan, as always, just to go throughout the week and figure out what we want to do for the game,” Jones said. “Coach Belichick was very good about communication and felt like I was good to play, and we had a good plan there, and obviously didn’t play well enough there.”