Drake Maye Can Wait – Brian Hoyer is Backing “Little Brother” Jacoby Brissett to Start for Patriots

Former NFL quarterback Brian Hoyer believes that Jacoby Brissett is the rightful starter for the New England Patriots. While the Patriots selected Drake Maye third overall in the 2024 draft, Hoyer believes Brissett has the starting quarterback role to lose while guiding the rookie from North Carolina through the ropes.

“Jacoby (Brissett) is like a little brother to me. We were teammates. We were friends. You sign him to be the starter right away because he’s capable. He’s very endearing to his teammates, they love him, and he’s the perfect guy to mentor Drake Maye,” Hoyer said on his first day as a panelist on ESPN’s ‘NFL Live’ on June 26.

Brissett wasn’t on the roster during Brian Hoyer’s three stints with the Patriots. Instead, they became teammates in 2019 with the Indianapolis Colts. After Hoyer retired, Brissett returned to the Patriots on a one-year, $8 million contract.

Meanwhile, former NFL defensive back Ryan Clark believes that Mayo and Brissett can help Maye ease into the league by fostering excellent team chemistry. Likewise, the veteran can help the rookie feel comfortable calling plays from the huddle. Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt pointed out that building confidence from the pocket is a priority for Maye’s development.

Brissett is the ideal player for this situation because he’s been a bridge quarterback before. The former NC State standout played the same role in 2017 when Andrew Luck missed the entire season due to a shoulder injury. In 2019, Brissett became the Colts’ starter following Luck’s sudden retirement. He gave way to Philip Rivers a year later. In 2022, Brissett became the Cleveland Browns’ starter while Deshaun Watson served his 11-game suspension.

Brian Hoyer Outlines Jerod Mayo’s Role as a Bridge Coach

If Jacoby Brissett is the bridge quarterback until Maye is ready to take over, Mayo is taking over as head coach for a franchise in transition. However, to succeed in his new role, the former All-Pro linebacker must take the lessons he learned from his predecessor, Bill Belichick. The eight-time Super Bowl champion was critical of Maye before the Patriots took him, saying that “his footwork needs a lot of work.”

However, while Mayo draws inspiration from the values that turned the Patriots into perennial winners under Belichick, he must tailor his approach to a new generation of players. Luckily for New England, the two-time Pro Bowler can still relate to his wards.

“He learned from Bill but he’s also bridging that gap to the youth. Jerod learned his lessons from Bill but he’s got his own flavor. He’s got his own personality. Talking to some of the guys, they love the way he’s approaching it. He just got to carry that over to wins in the season,” Brian Hoyer added.

Mayo isn’t new to coaching the Patriots since he has been the inside linebackers coach for the franchise from 2019 to 2023. This time, his decisions will not just affect the defense. Instead, it will also directly impact the on-field success of Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye.

Mayo will be tested as the Patriots are tied for the fifth-toughest regular season schedule based on 2023 regular season percentages. In addition to their division rivals, he must also outsmart previous year’s postseason participants (San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams).