Did Jerod Mayo hint at QB change for Patriots?
Jun 10, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo walks to the microphones for to hold a press conference at minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
The New England Patriots seem closer than ever to making a quarterback change in the wake of their latest loss.
Jacoby Brissett and New England’s offense struggled once again on Sunday in a 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. While Jerod Mayo has remained committed to Brissett as the team’s starting quarterback over the first month of the season, it sounds like the Patriots coach is now considering a switch.
Longtime Patriots reporter Mike Reiss felt there was a “notable shift” in the way Mayo answered questions about Brissett’s during the coach’s video conference on Monday.
Opinion/analysis: Notable shift in Jerod Mayo's answers regarding QB situation in his day-after-game video conference compared to past weeks. Mayo said last week the way the team won its only game was "unsustainable" and he seems to strongly be considering switch to Drake Maye.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 7, 2024
When asked about Brissett’s performance, Mayo bluntly told reporters that it “wasn’t good enough.” He said he felt the Patriots did enough defensively and on special teams to win.
“It just wasn’t good enough. I thought we played well enough defensively and on special teams to win the football game,” Mayo said. “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.”
Jerod Mayo on Jacoby Brissett's performance vs. Miami
"It just wasn’t good enough. I thought we played well enough defensively and on special teams to win the football game. As the quarterback, and he understands this, he touches the ball on every single play and we didn’t win…
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) October 7, 2024
Brissett went 18/34 for 160 yards on Sunday. The veteran now has just 696 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception through five games. New England’s offensive line has also been a huge issue all season, but Mayo even said on Monday that he felt the unit played well against Miami.
The Patriots have seemed committed to giving Drake Maye time to develop, but the pressure to start the rookie grows with each week. One recent report claimed the plan is to have Maye play at some point this season. Mayo’s change in tone on Monday may have been a sign that the change is coming sooner rather than later.
