After the Patriots’ disastrous show against the Jets, the team management is facing a massive dilemma: Give Brissett another try or pass the role to Drake Maye. While most of the NFL analysts are busy writing off Brissett, the most successful Patriot ever, Tom Brady has a different opinion.
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In the week 3 game, Maye made his debut for the team in the final minutes and threw four passes for 22 yards along with two rushing attempts for 12 yards. The debut wasn’t anything extraordinary but Brissett’s bad form has frustrated the team management enough to consider a change in the lineup.
While talking about the rookie, Brady claimed that a premature decision to give Maye the starting role would only hurt the rookie’s future in the league. In his opinion, any young quarterback needed to learn the tricks of the trade from a veteran in their first year to succeed in the NFL. He said:
“It is best in my opinion for young quarterbacks/ rookie quarterbacks to kind of watch a veteran do it.”
“So when you have a real pro in front of you, they can help with that learning curve even though the young QB is not going out and losing confidence in his abilities,” he added.
He further elaborated that watching Drew Bledsoe play was a crucial learning experience for the young Tom Brady as it helped him learn how to process all the information while in the pocket and make a call.
In 2001, a rookie Tom Brady was the backup to Drew Bledsoe but he took the field only when Bledsoe suffered a major injury mid-season. However, Brady’s impressive performance was enough to take the team to the playoffs and get a permanent nod from Belichick and Robert Kraft.
He also claimed that he wasn’t the only one who gained from working under a veteran QB. He further gave examples of Aaron Rodgers with Brett Favre and Patrick Mahomes with Alex Smith in their rookie years. Based on Brady’s theory, Maye doesn’t look prepared to face the challenges that lay ahead.
Drake Maye Reacts to His Patriots Debut
In the Jets game, the only highlight for the Patriots was Drake Maye entering the playing field to a loud cheer from the fans. The young quarterback was equally excited and in his post-game interview, he said that even though nobody wants to make a debut in a ‘blowout loss’ the overall experience was fun.
He added that nervousness caught him in the beginning but the overall atmosphere of the stadium and fans cheering the team made it a thrilling experience.
Since Brady left, the Patriots have never been the same. Their quest to find their next franchise quarterback made them pick -‘safe’ Brissett for the 2024 season while Maye gets some experience. But now with Brissett’s lackluster game, Maye might get the call to lead the team.
