New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo recently acknowledged that rookie Drake Maye has narrowed the gap on veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, intensifying the competition for the starting position. “This is a true competition, and right now, Drake has outperformed Jacoby,” Mayo said during his weekly appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” However, he emphasized that the final decision will consider the entire body of work, including spring and training camp performances. Discussions on the starting role are set to occur in the coming days.
Later, during a video conference with reporters, Mayo elaborated, “It all starts in practice and carries over into the game, where Drake has shown he can play better. However, there are multiple factors to consider when deciding on a starter. The total body of work, from the spring through all of training camp, and Jacoby’s extensive experience, will heavily influence our decision.”
Mayo praised the competitive spirit between the two quarterbacks and expressed his hope that a starter would be named soon to prepare for the season opener. Although he initially aimed to decide by Tuesday, following the Patriots’ preseason finale, he clarified that the team would be informed first before any public announcement.
Mayo also pointed out that the gap between Brissett and Maye has significantly narrowed over the past few weeks. The Patriots, who open their regular season on September 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals, returned to their facility early Monday morning after a 20-10 preseason loss to the Commanders in Washington. A critical factor in the quarterback decision is Brissett’s right shoulder injury sustained in the opening series of the game. Mayo mentioned that Brissett might assess his injury before determining if he can play.
Brissett, a 31-year-old veteran in his ninth NFL season, started 11 games for the Cleveland Browns in 2022, operating in a similar system to what the Patriots currently run under coordinator Alex Van Pelt. During the preseason, Brissett started all three games, completing 5 of 14 passes for 36 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Despite this, his performance was hampered by errors from his pass catchers, including a critical route-running mistake and a dropped deep pass by K.J. Osborn.
In contrast, Maye has played 66 snaps across the three games, completing 21 of 34 passes for 192 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Additionally, he has contributed seven rushes for 32 yards and another touchdown. Mayo refrained from pinpointing a specific moment when Maye began outplaying Brissett, attributing the improvement to Maye’s growing comfort with the scheme and his teammates.
As the decision looms, Mayo remains open to all possibilities regarding Maye’s rookie season, leaving the final chapter unwritten.
