Jerod Mayo plans to announce the winner of the New England Patriots‘ quarterback competition sometime over the next two days, but he might’ve tipped his hand Sunday night.
Mayo was asked multiple questions about Jacoby Brissett’s shoulder injury following his team’s preseason road loss to the Washington Commanders. He also was asked about rookie QB Drake Maye, who starred in the first half. A close reading of one of Mayo’s answers could reveal which way he’s leaning on the Patriots’ quarterback debate.
Jerod Mayo Gives Update on Jacoby Brissett’s Injury
Brissett injured his throwing shoulder while being sacked during the game’s first drive. The veteran QB stayed in the game — and threw passes on the next two plays — but was replaced by Maye for the next series.
Brissett stayed on the sideline for the remainder of the game and appeared to be in good spirits. During his postgame news conference, Mayo indicated Brissett’s injury isn’t serious.
“I talked to him … we’ll see tomorrow,” Mayo said. “You always feel a little bit more sore the next day. He said he was good. We’ll find out tomorrow.”
Would Brissett have been able to play if it were a regular-season game?
“He would’ve been able to continue,” Mayo said.
LIVE: Patriots Postgame Press Conferences: https://t.co/1QYgRYA5q0
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 26, 2024
As Mayo said, it’s possible Brissett feels worse Monday morning. However, at this point, it doesn’t appear like Brissett’s injury will play a role in the outcome of the Patriots’ quarterback competition.
Did Mayo Confirm Drake Maye is the Patriots’ Backup QB?
At one point in his news conference, Mayo was asked whether Maye would be asked to start if Brissett is sidelined for the season opener.
“I would like to sit here and say, ‘100%,’ (Maye’s) our second-best quarterback on our roster right now.”
So, was that just a weird way of Mayo confirming that Maye would play ahead of Joe Milton III and Bailey Zappe? Or was it a tacit admission that Maye will be the backup when the Patriots visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 8?
Would Drake Maye feel ready to play Week 1, if asked?
"Yeah, I think I would feel ready" pic.twitter.com/WJC1ZDxPJQ
— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) August 26, 2024
Only Mayo knows the answer. Regardless, he reiterated he hopes to choose a quarterback by Tuesday at the latest, so Patriots fans won’t have to wait much longer to learn the winner of the Maye-Brissett competition.
That said, fans should brace themselves for Brissett to win the job.
New Report Seemingly Reveals Mayo’s Decision
Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein spoke with Patriots coaches and executives this week, including offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf. This excerpt from her story tells you all you need to know about New England’s QB competition:
“Conversations with several coaches and executives point to Brissett starting the season for a Patriots team whose offensive line and skill players pale in comparison to casts like what first overall draft pick Caleb Williams arrived to in Chicago.
“They point to Brissett starting early games against tough defenses like the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets, giving Maye more time to learn after a college career featuring just 26 starts. (Consider that fellow rookie Bo Nix started 61 college games and Jayden Daniels 55 before each got the starting nod this week.)
“The Patriots will continue to evaluate through the season whether Brissett is still the best man for the job, a decision that will be influenced by the team’s surrounding cast, Brissett’s performance and Maye’s development.
“But for now, Van Pelt says Brissett is ‘way more equipped to handle the opening day.'”
That’s pretty definitive, although there’s a chance Maye changed minds with his performance against the Commanders.
