It’s a fun time for Drake Maye and company.
After backing Jacoby Brissett through the first five games of the season, the New England Patriots decided to go with the rookie as their starting quarterback on Sunday.
New England selected Maye out of North Carolina with the third overall pick in the draft after fielding several offers from teams to move up.
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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) passes against the Washington Commanders during the first half of a preseason game Aug. 25, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
The decision was taken earlier this week, Maye’s girlfriend could not control her happiness.
Ann Michael Hudson posted on her Instagram story about Maye getting a confession.
“YAY!!!!! I’m so happy,” she wrote with a smiley face and heart emoji, via the New York Post.
“We’re trying to win every game. At the time, we thought Jacoby would give us the best chance to come out and win games,” Pats coach Jerod Mayo said Wednesday, a day after the decision was first reported. “Drake gives us a better chance to win now and going forward. He’s been improving. He’s been getting better every week.”
“It’s something you dream about, your first start in the NFL,” Maye said. “It’s an opportunity, against a good football team, to go out there and prove people wrong.”
Quarterback Drake Maye of the North Carolina Tar Heels poses for photos after being selected third in the first round by the New England Patriots during the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
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Brissett was named the starter in training camp, and given the Pats’ tough schedule, it made sense to upgrade Maye.
New England interrupted The Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 on the road, but the Pats have lost four in a row.
Brissett completed just 58.5% of his passes for two touchdowns, and the Pats are widely considered the worst team in the NFL, along with the Carolina Panthers.
In his two seasons at North Carolina, Maye threw for 7,929 yards with a completion rate of 64.9%. He threw 62 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while rushing for 16 more scores. He was first team All-ACC in 2022 and second last season. He passed for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns last season.
Drake Maye of the New England Patriots throws during practice on May 29, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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Maye made his NFL debut in New England’s 24-3 loss to the Jets in New Jersey, completing four of eight passes after Brissett was benched.
The Pats face the Houston Texans on Sunday at home. Texans’ Nico Collins is out with a hamstring injury.
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