Patriots to start QB Jacoby Brissett in Week 1, sources say

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. —  New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo told players Thursday morning that veteran Jacoby Brissett is the team’s starting quarterback, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler.

Brissett held off a late surge from rookie Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.

Brissett spent all spring and training camp as the starter, but the dynamic of the competition had shifted over the past two weeks. Mayo said that once Maye became less deferential, the gap between the quarterbacks closed to the point that Maye was playing better than Brissett in that time frame.

At the same time, Brissett’s experience in the team’s system, along with the totality of his work going back to the spring, was weighted in the decision-making process.

Mayo said Wednesday that he had lost sleep over the call.

“I think it’s important to remember, what’s good for the team today may not be good for the team weeks down the line,” Mayo said. “I think the challenge is you want to win every single game now, but also you’re trying to build something special. So to me, that was a challenge.”

Mayo noted that the final decision was his, but it came after standard conversations with first-year offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

Brissett’s experience has been cited by coaches as critical. He has 48 career starts and in 2022 with the Cleveland Browns played in a similar offense to what the Patriots have implemented under Van Pelt, a former Browns assistant.

Van Pelt hinted that Brissett would be the starter late last week, noting that Maye had been “impressive” but “there’s still a process of how you bring a rookie quarterback along.” Van Pelt also noted the team’s developmental plan for Maye.

“There’s certain things in this offense that Jacoby, having played in it, understands some of the tools you can use to get out of certain situations, pressure situations,” Van Pelt said. “Things like that that Drake is still learning. He is pushing.”

Brissett started all three of the Patriots’ preseason games, playing 27 total snaps and finishing 5-of-14 for 36 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception.

Maye followed up Brissett in all three games, playing 66 snaps and going 21-of-34 for 192 yards with one touchdown and zero interceptions. He added seven rushes for 32 yards and one touchdown.