Jerod Mayo Confuses Fans With Comment on Patriots Quarterbacks

It's year one post-Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots and first-year head coach Jerod Mayo are trying to form a new identity. That starts with identifying their starting quarterback for Week 1 on September 8 at Cincinnati.

After signing Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal and trading Mac Jones to the Jaguars in March, New England drafted UNC quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL draft, and the quarterback competition was on.

Following their third preseason game, Mayo told reporters Maye was “our second-best quarterback on our roster right now.”

However, Monday on "The Greg Hill Show" on WEEI , Mayo confused some Patriots fans with a different statement suggesting that "Drake has outplayed Jacoby."

"Now in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work, going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp," Mayo added. "And we'll see where we end up. But those are the conversations that will happen here over the next couple of days."

Maye's performance Sunday night in the Patriots' 20-10 loss to the Washington Commanders had people singing his praise. The rookie went 13-for-20 with 143 total yards and a touchdown.

Maye threw a second touchdown that went for 48 yards before an illegal procedure penalty wiped it out.

ESPN's Louis Riddick said Maye's performance earned him the starting job.

"Start. Drake. Maye," the former NFL safety and personnel director wrote on X .

Whether Maye or Brissett start for the Patriots, they'll face an uphill climb getting the Patriots back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season.

New England hasn't won a postseason game since February 3, 2019 , its last Super Bowl victory with Tom Brady at the helm.

Related: Drake Maye's 'Shoeless' First Down Pass Goes Viral