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New England Patriots rookie Drake Maye has officially been named as the team's starting quarterback.
Maye, 22, who was selected at No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, will make his first NFL start in Sunday's (October 13) game against the Houston Texans, the Patriots confirmed in a post shared on their social media accounts Wednesday (October 9) morning. The former North Carolina standout previously made an appearance in relief of veteran Jacoby Brissett during the Patriots' Week 3 blowout loss to the New York Jets, throwing for 22 yards on 4 of 8 passing, while also recording 12 yards on two rushing attempts.
“Going forward, I think Drake gives us the best chance to win now and going forward,” said first-year head coach Jerod Mayo via Pro Football Talk. “He’s been getting better every single week, as I’ve said before. At the end of training camp, he was actually trending at a very high rate and that has continued through the early part of the season.”
Mayo said he believes Maye's “athleticism will definitely open up more plays,” while still praising Brissett as a "warrior" who will confidently carry himself in a professional role as a veteran presence. The first-year coach also confirmed that the quarterback change was "solely my decision," but noted that ownership, the rest of his coaching staff, and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf were all in favor of the move.