What Patriots' Drake Maye said to Jacoby Brissett after QB change

It took a little longer than some fans wished, but first-year New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo finally benched quarterback Jacoby Brissett in favor of rookie Drake Maye with the club at 1-4.

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Brissett revealed one of Maye's first acts as the club's new QB1.

"Drake asked me how I’m doing and I’m like, 'Man, if you’re worried about me, you’re worried about the wrong thing right now.' I can take care of myself," Brissett explained, as shared by Mark Daniels of MassLive. "I obviously appreciated that, but I’ll be all right."

Brissett shouldn't have been surprised by Mayo's move, and not just because it was no secret when the club signed the veteran in March that he was meant to serve as a bridge option at the position.

According to ESPN stats, the Patriots began Thursday ranked 31st in the NFL with an average of 12.4 points scored per game, and they're responsible for the league's worst passing attack (119.4 yards in the air per contest).

None of that means Brissett is thrilled he'll be New England's primary backup for this Sunday's home game versus the 4-1 Houston Texans.

"I don’t think words can really describe how tough it is," Brissett said about being benched, per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. Brissett was sure to add he has "no malice in [his] heart toward" Maye regarding Mayo's decision.

Numerous outsiders are concerned Maye will flop or/and suffer an injury playing behind what could be the league's worst offensive line against Houston.

According to Chris Mason of MassLive, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt noted on Thursday that the 22-year-old has "made great strides" in knowing "how the protections are schemed and where the holes in those protections are."

As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Patriots as 6.5-point underdogs against the Texans. Such a number suggests Vegas believes Maye will endure a rough first career start, but the hope among those within the Patriots is that Brissett will prove to be a perfect mentor who will help the rookie bounce back from inevitable setbacks he'll experience as the CEO of an NFL offense.