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Mike Rice, ESPN Staff Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo has named Jacoby Brissett as the team’s starting quarterback after the veteran shut down a late charge from rookie Drake Maye, the third pick in the draft.
“I have decided that Jacoby Brissett will be our starting quarterback this season,” Mayo said Thursday. “As an organization, we support Jacoby 100 percent.”
Priest spent all of spring and training camp as a starter, but the dynamic of the competition has changed over the past two weeks. Mayo previously said that once Maye became less respected, the gap between the two quarterbacks narrowed to the point where Maye was playing better than Priest in that time frame.
At the same time, Brest’s experience in the team system, along with his overall work since the spring, was taken into account in the decision-making process.
Mayo said Wednesday he lost sleep over the call.
“I think it’s important to remember that what’s good for the team today may not be good for the team weeks from now,” Mayo said. “I think the challenge is that you want to win every game now, but you’re also trying to build something special. So for me, that was a challenge.”
Mayo said the final decision was his, but came after record-breaking talks with new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.
Coaches have pointed out that Brissett’s experience is crucial. He has made 48 career starts and in 2022 played for the Cleveland Browns in an offense similar to what the Patriots ran under former Browns coordinator Van Pelt.
Van Pelt hinted that Priest would be the starter late last week, noting that May has been “impressive” but that “there’s still a process to how we bring in a rookie quarterback.” Van Pelt also pointed to the team’s developmental plan for May.
“There are certain things about this offense that Jacoby, having played in it, understands some of the tools you can use to get out of certain situations and pressure situations,” Van Pelt said. “Stuff like that Drake is still learning. He’s pushing.”
Brissett started all three of the Patriots’ preseason games, playing 27 total snaps and finishing 5-of-14 for 36 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
May followed Brissett in the three games, playing 66 snaps and completing 21 of 34 passes for 192 yards with one score and zero interceptions. He added seven rushes for 32 yards and one score.