Patriots HC Jerod Mayo goes in-depth on decision to start Drake Maye at quarterback

The New England Patriots made a major decision on Tuesday. It was reported that the team planned to start rookie quarterback Drake Maye on Sunday against the Houston Texans. Jacoby Brissett will be on the sidelines after starting the first five games of the season.

The expectation was that Maye would always become the starter at some point this year, but why now? Head coach Jerod Mayo spoke with reporters on Wednesday morning and explained the decision.

"Drake gives us the best chance to win now and going forward," Mayo said. "He's been getting better every single week. At the end of training camp, he was trending at a very high rate. It was solely my decision to make this choice."

Maye was selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft .

All throughout the spring and summer, Mayo made it clear that Brissett was the starter. However, he did admit that towards the end of training camp, the rookie was playing better.

Looking at the larger picture , they thought the veteran's experience would give them the best chance to win. That's no longer the case.

"It's not a secret, our offense isn't performing the way we hoped it would," the head coach added. "I wouldn't say the plan was expedited. At the end of training camp, he was trending up, and that never slowed down."

Mayo added that he has been “pleasantly surprised” by Drake Maye’s work ethic and grasp of the playbook. However, this will be no easy first game for the rookie. He is going up against a very dominant Texans team.

"There's no perfect time to make a change," Mayo explained. "Every defense we play has the ability to rush and get after the quarterback."

As for Brissett, he will now serve as the backup to Maye. But this news does not change his status as a team captain.

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