New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed on Friday that Jacoby Brissett will continue as the team’s starting quarterback, despite a tough outing against the New York Jets that ended in a 24-3 defeat. Mayo praised Brissett’s resilience, especially in the face of significant protection issues during the game.
This announcement follows Mayo’s decision to bring in rookie quarterback Drake Maye, the third overall pick in the draft, for his first regular-season appearance late in the fourth quarter. Mayo stated, “Jacoby is our quarterback until I say he is not the quarterback,” emphasizing Brissett’s toughness and grit.
In the matchup against the Jets, Brissett completed 12 of 18 passes for 98 yards and was sacked five times, with statistics showing he was hit a total of 15 times as the Jets exploited weaknesses in the Patriots’ offensive line. Throughout the first three games of the season, Brissett has completed 42 of 69 passes, totaling 368 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions, leading to the Patriots’ current 1-2 record.
Following the game, Mayo reiterated that every player is competing for their role and indicated discussions would take place with the coaching staff regarding the quarterback situation. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt also expressed that Maye is better suited to continue learning as the backup for now. He stated, “Jacoby is our starter, like Coach said, until that changes. We need to prepare him to win.”
In his limited action, Maye completed 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards and rushed twice for 12 yards. Mayo acknowledged the challenge of coming off the bench during a game, noting that Maye managed to perform well and demonstrated athleticism and throwing capability.
Currently, the Patriots have been allocating 30% of first-team practice reps to Maye, and Mayo indicated that this strategy would continue. “Right now, I’d say it’s still status quo. Jacoby is still our starting quarterback and we have to be ready to support him,” Mayo stated, underlining the importance of teamwork in the offensive unit.