Of the many quarterback battles around the NFL, the New England Patriots are one that involves a star rookie and journeyman in Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett. The latter has a confident outlook on himself and the likelihood that the Patriots announce him as the starting quarterback with one preseason game left before the Week 1 opener.
Brissett has been in the NFL for eight seasons now, currently in his second stint with New England where the first time was when he was drafted with 91st overall pick in the 2016 draft. While Maye has impressed throughout the preseason, Brissett would say plainly that he is putting himself of the mindset “as if I'm the starter” according to NBC Sports.
“I still treat myself as if I’m the starter,” Brissett said to the media.
Jacoby Brissett talks what he's focusing on amidst Patriots QB battle

However, there is obviously some competition with Maye who was selected with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and has shown in spurts why he could see the field sooner rather than later. On the other hand, Brissett said he “can't worry about that” and the few aspects he's focused on is doing what he has to do in order to be the starting quarterback while also being a good teammate whether it be to Maye or others per Dan Roche.
“I can’t worry about that,” Brissett said. “I just go out there and do my job. I’ve been in this league long enough, and a lot of crazy things have happened in my career so far, and I wouldn’t be shocked by anything. But at the same time, I’m enjoying this process, putting my best foot forward, and just letting the chips fall where they may. . . . I don’t really worry about the competition.”
“Every day I come out here, I’m trying to do my best,” Brissett continued. “It doesn’t matter if it was Day 1 or Day 39, I’m still trying to go out there and to my best. I don’t really worry about the competition, I’m mores just worried about myself and just being a good teammate.”
Jacoby Brissett was asked how important it is that he finish the preseason strong when it comes to the QB competition. @wbz @Patriots pic.twitter.com/c6dq6uYBCw
— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) August 19, 2024
Patriots QB competition still up in the air
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo would comment on the current state of the quarterback competition where he says that the team does not know who's the winner. He would tell the media that there is more time to ponder it over as they have another preseason game and the moments leading up to the regular season opener per NBC Sports.
“We still don’t know right now,” Mayo said. “We have another preseason game, and then a week after that.”
One could think that Brissett will be the Week 1 starter due to his immense experience in the league compared to Maye who could learn off the bench like many great quarterbacks have done. Even Brissett himself has said that Maye is “doing a good job” according to Boston.com.
“He’s definitely progressing, doing a good job,” Brissett said of Maye.
The Patriots face the Washington Commanders next Saturday in the lead up to Week 1 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.