Jacoby Brissett is selected Patriots starting quarterback for Week 1 against Cincinnati

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Jerod Mayo is putting the keys to his offense in the hands of the veteran quarterback on his roster over the franchise’s potential quarterback of the future.

Mayo selected Jacoby Brissett as the starting quarterback for New England’s season opener at Cincinnati, one of the biggest decisions of the rookie head coach’s tenure.

Brissett gets the nod over rookie first-round draft pick Drake Maye, who he shared snaps with throughout training camp and the preseason.

“It’s been a lot of work. A lot of long days and long nights — the journey to get to this point,” Brissett said. “I’m grateful for this opportunity, but I’m also excited for it.”

Mayo said he spoke to Brissett and Maye separately and later together to inform them of his decision. Mayo told the team Thursday morning during a team meeting.

“There were a lot of factors that led to this choice,” Mayo said. “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.”

But Mayo made it clear that they aren’t heading into the season planning to shuffle between quarterbacks.

“As an organization we’re 100% behind Jacoby. There is no, ‘we’ve got a guy right here, we’ve got a guy right there,’” Mayo said. “As long as Jacoby is going out there and performing the way that we all have confidence in him doing, then he’ll be our quarterback this season.”

Maye said he’ll “prepare like the starter” while helping the team in whatever way he can as Brissett’s backup. He also brushed off the idea of him feeling disappointed by Mayo’s decision.

“Obviously, I want to play, the competitive edge in me,” said Maye, the No. 3 pick out of North Carolina. “At the same time, I understand the situation.”

Brissett, who heading into his ninth NFL season, signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Patriots in March. It reunited him with the team that drafted him in the third round in 2016.

Brissett spent just one initial season in New England, starting two games while Tom Brady served his four-game “Deflategate” suspension. After being traded to Indianapolis by the Patriots in 2017, Brissett spent four years with the Colts and had one-year stops in Miami, Cleveland and Washington.

He’s appeared in 79 games with 48 starts along the way, growing into a respected veteran in the league.

It makes the return to New England as the opening week starter at age 31 meaningful for Brissett.

“Nothing I take for granted, that’s for sure,” he said.

Brissett’s experience was valuable to Mayo and new executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, who wanted to have a proven veteran on the roster to help mentor Maye.

While Mayo acknowledged earlier this week that he felt Maye had outplayed Brissett this preseason, he said other factors shifted the pendulum toward Brissett, most notably his overall experience.

That will be particularly important early this season as the coaching staff continues to work out consistency issues with an offensive line that will begin the season without starting left guard Cole Strange, who will start on the physically unable to perform list with a knee issue.

Maye feels he presented his best case to win the job.

“I felt like I had a good camp. I feel like I’m throwing it well. Played well throughout the preseason,” he said. “So, other than that, keep my head down and keep working. ... I don’t think anything’s changed. I came into this camp working and studying hard to be the starter. Nothing’s going to change. I’m still one play away. I have to be ready for all circumstances. I’m here to help Jacoby.”

Brissett said he feels like Maye will only continue to get better.

“He’s done a great job. Dating back to when he first got here to where he is now is light years difference,” Brissett said. “I’m excited for his future. He’s going to be, obviously, a good quarterback in this league. He just kind of came up to me and was like, whatever you need I’m here for it. And it’s the same thing for him. Whatever he needs from me, I’ll do the same.”