Mac Jones

Early life

Michael McCorkle Jones was born on September 5, 1998, to Gordon and Holly Jones in Jacksonville, Florida. His father played tennis at Florida State University and Flagler College. Mac's brother, Will, played soccer at Mercer University; his sister Sarah Jane played tennis for the College of Charleston. Jones worked as a child model and actor, appearing in commercials.

Jones played high school football at The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, under head coach Corky Rogers. As a junior in 2015, Jones led Bolles to the state regional final. As a senior in 2016, he led Bolles to the Florida 4A title, throwing for 1,532 yards and 29 touchdowns.

2017

After originally committing to the University of Kentucky, Jones accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Alabama to play for the Crimson Tide. He arrived as an early enrollee, but was redshirted his freshman season in 2017. Jones was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and was suspended for the following game against LSU. After throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns in the Crimson Tide's spring game, Jones was named A-Day MVP.

2018

In the 2018 season, Jones appeared in 14 of the Crimson Tide's 15 games, mostly as a holder on special teams. He added his name to the Alabama record book with a 94-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle, the second-longest in school history, in a victory over Louisiana.

2019

Jones served as the starting quarterback near the end of the 2019 season after Tua Tagovailoa suffered a severe hip injury. He made four starts for the Crimson Tide, beating Arkansas and Western Carolina before falling to Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Jones threw for 335 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions in the 48–45 loss. Following the Iron Bowl, Jones led Alabama to a 35–16 victory over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. He finished the 2019 season with 1,503 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and three interceptions in 11 games and four starts.

During his sophomore year, Jones earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies with a 4.00 GPA. After the commencement ceremony, Jones announced that he would return to Alabama as a graduate student.

2020

With Tagovailoa departing for the 2020 NFL draft, Jones took over as the starting quarterback for Alabama. In a game against the #3 ranked Georgia Bulldogs, he threw for 417 yards and four touchdowns, helping Alabama win 41–24. On October 31, Jones and the Crimson Tide shut out Mississippi State 41–0. Jones threw for 291 yards and four touchdowns, all of which went to DeVonta Smith. In the Iron Bowl against Auburn, Jones threw for 302 yards and five touchdowns. The following week, Jones threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns against LSU. With the win, the Crimson Tide clinched a berth in the 2020 SEC Championship Game against Florida. There, Jones threw for 418 yards and five touchdowns, with Alabama winning 52–46. Alabama went 11–0 in a schedule featuring only in-conference opponents due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Playoffs

Alabama was selected to take on Notre Dame in the 2021 Rose Bowl semifinal game, where Jones threw four touchdown passes en route to a 31–14 victory. Alabama would go on to win the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes 52–24, with Jones throwing five touchdowns. He finished the season throwing for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns and four interceptions. His 203.1 passer rating and 77.4 completion percentage were both NCAA season records. Jones was named the recipient of the Davey O'Brien, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, and Manning Awards. He finished third for the Heisman Trophy, which went to his teammate Smith. Having earned his master's degree in sports hospitality with a 4.00 GPA, Jones also received Academic All-American of the Year honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America in both Division I football and all Division I sports for the 2020–21 school year. Following the season, Jones announced that he would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2021 NFL draft.

Personal life

Jones was nicknamed "the Joker" in college for his habit of laughing with his mouth open and having some fun in the locker room with his teammates.

In August 2021, Jones signed an endorsement deal with NoBull, a Boston-based company that makes athletic shoes and apparel.