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With Tom Brady now 42 years old, the New England Patriots really need to start thinking about who his successor will be, and it's entirely possible that quarterback is currently on the roster.
Could it be rookie signal-caller Jarrett Stidham?
Stidham made his preseason debut on Thursday night, completing 14 of his 24 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown in what ended up being a 31-3 win over the Detroit Lions.
Afterward, Stidham said he felt great.
“I had a great time,” said Stidham, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. “This is my first NFL experience, getting to play. There are a lot of things to improve on, but overall it was a lot of fun. It was a great experience.”
Stidham also turned 23 years old on Thursday, so that was certainly a great way for him to celebrate his birthday.
“The most important thing for a quarterback is not to turn the ball over, make good decisions and throw accurately,” said head coach Bill Belichick. “He did all those at times.”
The Patriots selected Stidham, who played his collegiate football at Auburn University, in the fourth round (133rd pick overall) of the NFL Draft back in April.
But in spite of his impressive showing, Stidham says he is simply trying to learn.
“I'm in a new offense, so just trying to learn everything as a whole and kind of how we operate — sitting in the pocket and trying to make the throws when I can,” Stidham said. “From Day 1 to now, I've grown so much. I've got to continue to grow.”
Who knows when—or if—Stidham's time will come in New England, but thus far, he is looking pretty solid.
