Patriots’ Marcus Jones Earned Every Piece of Second All-Pro

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones has arguably been one of New England’s best defensive players this season. However, when it comes to making his case as the NFL’s most potent punt returner, the 27-year-old has proven his case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Jones — alongside Patriots’ teammate Drake Maye — was named as a second team selection to the 2025 AP NFL All-Pro Team. Jones received 17 first-place votes, finishing second behind Baltimore Ravens’ returner Chimere Dike — who earned first-team honors. He is the first player in franchise history to have multiple All-Pro selections at the punt returner spot — having earned a first-team nod in his rookie season of 2022.

Amid the backdrop of signing a three-year, $36 million extension with the Pats earlier this year, Jones has certainly delivered a performance worthy of his newfound financial windfall. In Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers, Jones had an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown. In fact, Jones broke the franchise single-game record for punt return yards with 167 yards on three returns, set by Mike Haynes' 156 yards in a 1976 game, and was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

In an effort to quell any lingering dubiety on his special teams’ dominance, Jones clearly showcased his return skills during the Pats’ 33-15 victory over the New York Giants. In the first quarter, he returned Giants punter Jamie Gillian’s punt 94 yards for a touchdown — his second scoring return of the season.

With the touchdown, Jones tied Patriots legend Julian Edelman (Jan. 2, 2011) for the team record for longest punt return, while also becoming the fourth player in team history to return two or more punts for a score in a season. The 5-foot-8, 188-pound speedster currently holds the NFL's all-time punt return average record with 14.3 yards per punt return.

Marcus Jones is Also a Stalwart on the Patriots’ Defense

Sep 28, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (25) returns a punt for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

In addition to being an elite level punt returner, Jones is also New England’s primary slot cornerback. The former Houston Cougar has aligned on 71 percent of New England’s snaps on defense. This season, he has compiled 65 total tackles, 11 pass deflections and three interceptions. During New England’s Week 12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Jones showcased the prowess that earned him Defensive Player of the Month honors for October. He jumped and picked-off a short-right pass attempt by Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco and returned the interception 33 yards for the score.

Using his impressive resume as a foundation, head coach Mike Vrabel is proud to see his confidence in Jones’ abilities blossom as he becomes an irreplaceable part of the team’s success this season — and presumably a key game-plan component for their upcoming wild card weekend showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium.

"Just from the personality, just from the person, the way that he practiced, he embodied it,” Vrabel recently told reporters at Gillette Stadium. “I would say, the identity, and then just knew he was an elite punt returner. And so, we have to continue to make that a weapon, force teams to punt and be in fourth-and-long to where we have those opportunities to double the gunners and things like that.”

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!