Despite being the fifth quarterback taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, Mac Jones entered his rookie season with arguably the most pressure to succeed out of the entire QB crop. “This is probably one of the hardest places to be at,” explained Patriots safety Devin McCourty. “You're playing for a franchise that has won multiple Super Bowls, you come behind Tom Brady and everything that's stacked up there.” Jones, however, did not let the pressure get to him. The Alabama product led the Pats to a 10-7 record and their first playoff berth since 2019, setting the franchise rookie record for touchdown passes and earning his very first Pro Bowl nod along the way. “I think last year, (Jones) came in and did a great job getting to work,” said McCourty. “He spent so much time in the facility, working with different guys and figuring things out. I think that was a good foundation for him.”
The pressure is even greater for Jones to take the next step in year two, but like they say, pressure makes diamonds. Yet this Kaboom rookie card might be even rarer than a diamond, as these coveted inserts fell just one per hobby case out of 2021 Absolute Football. That scarcity is only multiplied by this card’s print run and low PSA population, as this Gold parallel was produced to just ten issues and is one of four examples to grade PSA 9. Mac Jones might have been a diamond in the rough as the 15th overall pick, but one look at this incredible Kaboom rookie and it becomes clear that this card is truly a treasure.
