Patriots HC Jerod Mayo Gives Confusing Pair of Updates on Quarterback Race

Patrick Andres | Aug 26, 2024

Aug 25, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo during the second half against the Washington Commanders at Commanders Field. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Say this about first-year New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo: like his mentor, he knows how to keep fans, opponents and writers guessing.

In a 24-hour span between Sunday and Monday, the protege of legendary coach Bill Belichick gave two highly contradictory updates on the state of the Patriots' quarterback race.

The first came in the aftermath of New England's 20–10 preseason loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

"He's our second-best quarterback on our roster right now," Mayo said of New England quarterback Drake Maye—who threw for 126 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's game.

On Monday morning, speaking on The Greg Hill Show on WEEI-FM in Lawrence, Mass., Mayo then insisted that Maye was outplaying quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

#Patriots HC Jerod Mayo on Drake Maye:

“He’s our second-best quarterback on our roster right now.”

Mayo reiterated later in the presser that “We’re gonna play the best players” pic.twitter.com/ET2oBo00Iv

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) August 26, 2024

"What I will say is this is a true competition and I would say at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby. Now, in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp. And we’ll see where we end up, but those are the conversations that will happen here over the next couple days," Mayo said via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.

With Brissett banged up (he hurt his throwing shoulder in the first quarter Monday), this decision will not be easy for Mayo. It is, however, a decision that needs to be made fast—the Patriots' Sept. 8 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals looms.