New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett clapped back at reports suggesting that the team’s locker room is "teetering on mutiny."
Ahead of the Patriots’ 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, Patriots.com senior reporter Evan Lazar speculated that several of Brissett’s teammates were questioning why the signal-caller was continuing to start over rookie Drake Maye .
"I don't want to be alarmist or hyperbolic, I don't. But I was in that locker room," Lazar said. "You're at the point now, with 52 other guys in that locker room, that all watch these two quarterbacks practice every single day, that all know they drafted Drake Maye third overall."
"And at what point in time do some of these guys say to themselves, 'Why am I going out there and getting my butt kicked every single Sunday, and Drake can't? Why am I going out there with a quarterback who can't get me the football when we have the Ferrari back in the garage that can get me the football?'"
Through the first five games of the season - all of which Brissett has started - the 31-year-old has completed 79-of-135 passes for 696 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. New England’s offense has looked abysmal with him at the helm, ranking 31st in the NFL in points and yards per game with 12.4 and 250.8, respectively.
Despite a 1-4 start to the season, Brissett shot down claims that he’s lost the support of the Patriots’ locker room. "That's just terrible reporting," he said while appearing on WEEI. "Terrible reporting by somebody who has no idea what they're talking about."
It remains to be seen how long of a leash the Patriots will give Brissett should he continue to struggle. Though head coach Jerod Mayo has repeatedly stressed that the nine-year veteran is the team’s starter, he sounded less assertive on the heels of New England’s latest defeat.
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"Every single day, we are all being evaluated, and it's no different now," Mayo told reporters when asked if he was considering a change at quarterback. The 38-year-old’s response is a stark contrast to his answer a week prior, when he bluntly stated: "Jacoby is 100% our starter."
Against the Dolphins, Brissett struggled to find much of any success through the air, throwing for just 160 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions. Mayo didn’t mince words when assessing the underwhelming performance, asserting that he will need to play better in the future.
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"It just wasn't good enough,” Mayo said. "I thought we played well enough defensively and on special teams to win the football game.
“Look, as the quarterback - and he understands this - he touches the ball on every single play, and we didn't win the game or score enough points to win the game. I think he would echo that same sentiment that it wasn't good enough."
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