Jerod Mayo has been the head coach of the New England Patriots for two games, but he is already working to avoid a quarterback controversy.
Drake Maye, the third overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, completed four passes for 22 yards during the Patriots’ 24-3 loss to the New York Jets Thursday night. It was the first time Maye saw action in a regular-season game.
While calls for Maye to take the keys from starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett seemed to grow louder, Mayo made it clear who he was sticking with for the foreseeable future.
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New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo during the second quarter of a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium Aug. 8, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
“Jacoby is our quarterback until I say he is not the quarterback,” Mayo said Friday. “I thought he showed a lot of toughness, a lot of grit.”
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The Patriots entered the game shorthanded along the offensive line.
New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams (56) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) in the first half at MetLife Stadium. (Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images)
Brissett ended the night with 98 passing yards. He was also sacked five times, and once Maye entered the game in the fourth quarter, he was not able to get much going.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye runs with the ball against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sept. 19, 2024. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)
Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said keeping Maye in a backup role for the time being would ultimately be beneficial.
“I still think it’s by watching. I think there’s a lot to be learned yet, and that’s where I’ll stand on that,” Van Pelt said. “Jacoby is our starter, like coach said. Until that changes, I think we got to do everything we can to get the starter ready to win a game on [Sept. 29 in San Francisco].”
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Mayo acknowledged the difficulties that arise when a quarterback is thrown into the fire in the middle of a game.
“Coming off the bench at that time is always tough, no matter what position, but especially the quarterback position. And I thought he handled himself well and tried to put a drive together,” Mayo said. “It’s something to build off.”
The Patriots travel to California next week for a game against the San Francisco 49ers.
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