National Football League

Mac Jones' pending 'MJ10' trademark is eerily similar to Tom Brady's 'TB12' brand — coincidence?

Published Dec. 2, 2021 4:52 p.m. ET

Mac Jones –– also known as MJ10.

News broke this week that the New England Patriots' QB1 would introduce a new trademark to broaden the scope of his brand. His desire: That "MJ10" become unequivocally synonymous with all things Mac Jones, and Jones plans to use it to represent future clothing lines, footwear and accessories that will bear his name.

Jones' company, Mac 10 Enterprises, filed for the moniker with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last Friday.

It's not entirely puzzling to see Jones begin taking steps to maximize his popularity. He's already an odds-on favorite to win the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

What did raise eyebrows in the football world though, was the striking similarity that the potential trademark has with that of another NFL signal-caller.

Tom Brady's TB12 brand is a global powerhouse. Launched in 2013, the multi-million-dollar company sells everything from fitness gear and meal plans to apparel and one-on-one training sessions.

Brady even penned a NY Times bestseller entitled "The TB12 Method."

Naturally, Jones' newfound startup is being likened to his New England predecessor's already-thriving business, and it wouldn't be the first time that their names have been spoken in the same breath.

Jones was the first quarterback drafted by Bill Belichick in the post-Brady era, and while it's unlikely that any quarterback will equal the magnitude of TB12's accomplishments in New England, Jones was tasked with a tall order after the Patriots parted ways with Cam Newton in the preseason.

And thus far, he's successfully done most of what Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels have asked of him.

He currently leads all rookies in passing yards (2,850), touchdowns (16), completion rate (70.3%), QBR (97.1) and yards per attempt (7.5). And his Pats are playing feverish football, as they sit in the midst of a six-game winning streak, and all inklings project them to be right in the hunt of a playoff seed.

Now, it's on Jones to keep the magic alive, much like Brady did in his first season as a starter.

"Let's [look at] their first 11 starts," Colin Cowherd said Wednesday on "The Herd" as he discussed the two QBs. "Oh, they're identical. Mac's are a little better. I'd say that's because it's more of a passing league."

The stats show a nearly symmetrical tale of the tape.

Through Jones' first 11 starts, he boasts a 7-4 record, 14-8 TD-INT ratio, 94.7 passer rating and 230.9 yards per game, while completing 70.2% of his passes.

In Brady's first 11, he went 8-3 with a 16-9 TD-INT ratio and a 91.6 passer rating. He threw for 204.9 yards per contest and completed 66.3% of his attempts.

In fact, Cowherd didn't place a Super Bowl victory out of the realm of possibility for Jones, citing Belichick's early success with Brady as the primary reason for his opinion.

"[In] 2001, [they had] a young quarterback: Gangly, not very athletic can't do anything off-script," he said. "That team had the sixth-rated offense and sixth-rated defense. This team has the sixth-rated defense and second-rated offense. It is not off the table at all. They don't make mistakes."

Despite their early-career similarities, as far as the MJ10 trademark is concerned, Skip Bayless believes it's not the brightest idea Jones has had.

"He has now exposed himself as not that quiet, humble kid from Alabama via Jacksonville," Bayless said Thursday on "Undisputed."

"No, he's Baker Mayfield! He might be beyond Mayfield. We'll start with those initials. They should be retired. Nobody can use those initials because there was only one MJ, as in Michael Jeffery Jordan, the GOAT of GOATs. There's a way to do it. Do Mac with an exclamation point or something. At least Patrick Mahomes waited two years."

Shannon Sharpe saw the situation differently and didn't believe Jones was playing copycat in the slightest.

"It used to be that you waited," Sharpe said. "… Tom Brady waited a long time before TB12. That’s not the way guys are thinking now. He's not copying anything. First off, the first 'TB' was Terry Bradshaw. Mac Jones seems to be the real deal. People speak in glowing terms about him. He's going to win and he's going to be marketable."

Regardless of whether he's earned the moniker or not, Jones is going through with it.

TB12 –– there are some new characters on the block.