Newly named starting quarterback for the New England Patriots Mac Jones spoke for the first time after his former teammate Cam Newton was released by the team.

Speaking to Sports Radio WEEI, the 23-year-old praised Newton and shared his experience playing with him.

“He was a really good mentor to me,” Jones said. “I know we’ll stay in touch. Ever since I came here, he knew I was here to help him and he was here to help me, so I never felt like we were butting heads or anything like that.”

Jones also hoped that Newton could be playing again soon.

“Obviously Cam is a great guy, a great player, and hopefully he lands somewhere,” Jones said. “I definitely learned a lot from him and I’m excited to keep learning from Brian [Hoyer] and everyone in the quarterback room.”

Jones came to New England after being selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft from the University of Alabama.

When asked about his status as a starting quarterback, Jones was not surprised at all.

“Not really,” said Jones. “Like I always say, I prepare to be the starter. I got a chance to get a lot of reps. Nothing really changes. Just trying to be a good teammate, trying to learn the plays every day, fix what I messed up on and listen to Josh [McDaniels] and all the guys in the quarterback room and take the advice.”

The New England Patriots will face the Miami Dolphins on September 12 at Gillette Stadium in their season opener.