FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots coach Jarrod Mayo said Friday that Jacoby Brissett is still the team’s starting quarterback, praising his tenacity despite his defensive lapses in Thursday’s 3-24 loss to the New York Jets.
Mayo’s announcement comes a day after he introduced rookie Drake May, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, into the game late in the fourth quarter to get his first regular-season start.
“Jacob is our quarterback until I tell him he’s not,” Mayo said Friday morning. “I thought he showed a lot of toughness and a lot of grit.”
Brissett, who completed 12 of 18 passes for 98 yards, was sacked five times, and during the game, stats showed he was hit 15 times as the Jets switched to a blitz-centric approach to exploit the Patriots’ undermanned offensive line. In his first three games, he is 42 of 69 for 368 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. The Patriots are 1-2.
Immediately after Thursday’s game, Mayo shared his coaching philosophy that every player is always competing for a spot and said he plans to meet with the coaching staff to discuss the team’s plans for quarterback.
That includes offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who told reporters Friday that May would be more helpful as Brissett’s backup for now.
“I think I’m still watching. I think I still have a lot to learn, and that’s where I stand,” Van Pelt said, adding that he’s encouraged by May’s future. “As Coach said, Jacoby is our starter. Until that changes, I think the starter has to do everything he can to win games. [Sept. 29 in San Francisco]” .
Maye completed 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards on one drive, and rushed twice for 12 yards. The drive started at the Patriots’ 42-yard line and ended with a sack after advancing to the Jets’ 7-yard line.
“It’s always tough coming off the bench, no matter what position you’re at, especially quarterback. And I thought he handled himself well and tried to drive,” Mayo said, citing May’s athleticism and ability to make all the throws. “That’s something to work on.”
In fact, the Patriots gave Maye 30 percent of his first-team reps, according to Mayo. The plan is to stick with that approach.
“Right now, I’d say it’s still the status quo. Like I said, Jacoby is still our starting quarterback and we have to be ready to support him. We’re going to have 11 guys on offense. That’s all of them,” Mayo said.
