FOXBORO — The New England Patriots will continue with rookie quarterback Drake Maye on the bench, as Jacoby Brissett remains the starter for now. Head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed during a video conference with reporters that Brissett is the team’s quarterback until further notice.
“Jacoby is our quarterback until I say he’s not the quarterback,” Mayo stated after analyzing the team’s performance in their recent 24-3 loss to the New York Jets. He praised Brissett for displaying resilience during the game, despite facing significant pressure from the Jets’ defense.
Brissett was sacked five times, pressured on over half of his dropbacks, and managed to throw for just 98 yards throughout the match. This offensive line struggle has been a recurring issue for the Patriots early in the season. Late in the game, with the outcome already decided, Mayo chose to send Maye onto the field for the final plays.
Maye managed to lead the team into the red zone but was ultimately thwarted when he was sacked on the last play of his drive. Over his short appearance, he was sacked twice and pressured multiple times during 16 snaps.
Following a review of the game and discussions with his coaching staff, Mayo opted to stick with Brissett for the time being. He revealed that Maye has been receiving approximately 30 percent of practice snaps with the starting unit, a notable amount for a backup quarterback, but indicated that this will not change as the team prepares for their upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers.
“Right now it’s still status quo,” Mayo affirmed regarding the quarterback situation. “Jacoby is still our starting quarterback, and we need to stand by him. It’s a team effort on offense, and our focus is on reaching a 2-2 record.”
Mayo acknowledged that while all aspects of the team are continually evaluated, Brissett will remain the starting quarterback for now.
In his short debut, Maye showed potential by completing four of his eight passes for 22 yards while also scrambling for an additional 12 yards. Although his first pass was nearly intercepted, he successfully connected with DeMario Douglas for a 15-yard gain, putting the Patriots in a scoring position at the Jets’ 7-yard line.
Mayo expressed confidence in Maye’s abilities, praising his athleticism and composure for stepping in during a challenging situation.
“He’s a guy with athleticism who can make all the throws. It’s always tough coming off the bench, especially at quarterback, but he handled himself well,” Mayo remarked. “It was a good opportunity for him to gain experience.”
Despite Maye’s debut, Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt believes the best path for the rookie’s development is to observe from the sidelines for now.
“I still think he can learn a lot by watching,” Van Pelt pointed out. “Jacoby is our starter, and until that changes, we need to focus on getting him ready to secure a win against the 49ers.”