JACKSONVILLE – The competition continues, which is fine with Mac Jones.
It's fine with C.J. Beathard, too – with each Jaguars reserve quarterback having more than enough NFL experience to understand their situation well.
The stakes are real, and this pair can handle those stakes professionally.
"I've competed all my life and I find great joy in competition," Jones said.
Jones and Beathard spoke to the media Thursday following a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Day 17 Jaguars 2024 Training Camp practice at the Miller Electric Center, discussing their competition for the backup quarterback position behind starter Trevor Lawrence.
"It's the same I've done literally my whole life, since I was in high school," Beathard said Thursday. "There's no bad blood. I'm boys with Mac, I'm boys with Trevor. We get along really well together. We laugh a lot together. It would be a lot harder if it was a tough situation as far as personality-wise, but Mac is a great dude. He's easy to get along with. We're just having fun.
"We're going out, we're all putting our best foot forward each and every day and trying to be our best. And whatever happens happens. That's all you can do."
Beathard, an eighth-year veteran who signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent from the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 offseason, has been Lawrence's backup the past three seasons. The Jaguars traded a sixth-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft for Jones, the No. 15 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft and a starter for the New England Patriots the last three seasons.
Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson said Thursday Lawrence will not play against the Buccaneers at EverBank Stadium in Preseason Week 2 Saturday. Pederson did not say whether Beathard and or Jones will start, adding that the two are expected to split time with both playing a half.
"It has been really close honestly," Pederson said Thursday. "The addition of Mac was great for that room. It was great for C.J. Both those guys have really embraced the challenge. We've been upfront with both of them and explained exactly how camp was going to go and really both of them I think are within three or four reps of having a 50-50 split right down the middle. So, it's been good. It's been good competition."
Pederson, too, praised Beathard's approach to working with Jones during the offseason program and training camp.
"C.J. has been a really positive influence on Mac, just learning the system," Pederson said. "That's something you don't see. When somebody's challenging for your spot, and you see that other player coach him up a little bit, that's encouraging and that's positive. But both guys have done a great job."
Jones said Beathard's approach reflects what he called a "great" quarterback room.
"We're brothers in there and that's what you want," he said. "You want to bounce ideas off each other and compete every day. It's like three brothers out there just throwing the ball around. We compete in that regard. But at the end of the day, we're on the same team. We're all working for the common goal. Every good team I've been on, that's the case. The bad ones, not so much."
And while both are aware of the competition entering the final two preseason games, Beathard said Thursday, "I try not to make a bigger deal than what it is."
"Every day you're just trying to do your best and put your best foot forward," he said. "The bigger the moment you make it, I feel like the more stress you bring upon yourself and there's just no need for that. Being eight years in, I've seen a lot, been through a lot. So, I feel like I'm mature in that sense."
Said Jones, "I don't try and put too much pressure on these games. It's two games that are very important. So, you have to understand that. I'm just looking forward to competing. It's not all going to be perfect, but you've got to learn from it and continue to build momentum into the season."
