When you’re an NFL head coach, there are certain things you can’t say in a media setting.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is in a tough spot. While everyone understands the Patriots aren’t starting third overall draft pick Drake Maye because New England’s offensive line and receivers aren’t good enough to support him, that’s not something you say out loud. Maye’s development is the key factor. The franchise doesn’t want to ruin its talented rookie quarterback.
But Mayo made a bit of a mistake as he tried to dance around that topic. He’s a rookie too, after all. He said that Maye had outplayed Jacoby Brissett, but then a couple days later Brissett got the starting nod. You don’t often hear a coach say his starter got outplayed by the backup.
Mayo tried to walk that back during a Tuesday morning appearance on WEEI.
Jerod Mayo explains decision
Mayo said he didn’t fully explain saying Maye outplayed Brissett in the preseason.
“I should have given more context to the comment at the time,” Mayo said, via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. “Drake had more playing time in the preseason than Jacoby, and that was intentional.”
That doesn’t make much sense either. Maye had an 86.9 passer rating. Brissett was all the way down at a horrific 14.6. A disparity in playing time doesn’t explain all of that. More reps might have helped Brissett dig out of that hole, but anyone who saw the games understands Maye outplayed Brissett. There were other factors involved in picking Brissett to start Week 1.
It’s just hard to explain those reasons without disrespecting the locker room.
“There are a lot of factors that led to this choice,” Mayo said last week, via MassLive. “I think the hard part is thinking in the short term and the long term at the same time. As an organization, though, we feel like Jacoby gives us our best chance to win right now.”
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Will Drake Maye play?
One thing that will need to be answered is whether Maye will play this season. If the Patriots are losing games, there will be a lot of pressure to make a quarterback switch.
Mayo didn’t directly answer that, but he did say this won’t be a redshirt season for Maye. He was asked if Maye would play if Brissett was injured, and the answer was a very clear yes.
“When we talk about developing a guy like Drake Maye, that is a continuous process,” Mayo said, via the Boston Herald. “If Jacoby was to get injured in the first week, 1,000% Drake [Maye] would be the next guy in as the No. 2 quarterback on our roster.”
That’s an important answer. That means New England is not committed to sitting Maye all season. Brissett could keep Maye on the bench all season by playing well, but if he falters, then the Patriots apparently aren’t against playing Maye rather than bypassing him for someone like fellow rookie Joe Milton III.
This is a story that won’t go away once the games start. In fact, if Brissett struggles and the Patriots lose games, it will be the only story worth tracking during New England’s season. In that case, Mayo’s explanation for why Maye is taking the starting job would be a lot easier.