It took merely three contests for Drake Maye to witness his inaugural moments on an NFL field. The rookie quarterback for the New England Patriots made his professional introduction late in the waning moments of Thursday night’s Week 3 faceoff against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
By the time Maye stepped onto the turf, only 4:24 remained on the clock, with the Patriots lagging behind 24-3. In those fleeting minutes, Maye completed four of eight pass attempts, accumulating a modest 22 yards. Displaying agility, he ventured outside the pocket, gaining an additional 12 rushing yards. However, his brief outing wasn’t without setbacks—he endured five hits and was brought down twice by the Jets’ defense.
“I just wanted to get out there, make some plays, and enjoy the moment,” Maye shared with reporters, speaking from the locker room during NBC Sports Boston’s Patriots Postgame Live. “There were definitely some nerves rushing out there. But with the energy of the crowd and that electrifying atmosphere, it was a memorable way to get my first game under my belt.”
When asked to evaluate his brief stint, Maye was candid: “You can’t afford to take avoidable sacks, especially in that situation. We’re trying to move the ball and get it out quickly. At the same time, we made some progress—moved the chains, picked up some first downs, and I managed to connect with DeMario (Douglas) over the middle. There’s some promising footage to analyze.”
Before Maye took the field, his coach imparted a few parting words of wisdom. “He told me, ‘Be smart with the football. Don’t do anything reckless. Just get through the game, but have fun and see what you can do.’ And I took that to heart,” Maye said.
The game marked Jacoby Brissett’s third start under center this season. He completed 12 of 18 pass attempts for a total of 98 yards—numbers that might seem underwhelming at first glance. But to Brissett’s credit, his performance was hampered by an underperforming offensive line. The Patriots’ protection faltered, allowing Brissett to be sacked five times and hit on 10 occasions, leaving him with minimal opportunity to make plays.
In the postgame press conference, head coach Jerod Mayo was asked if a quarterback change was on the horizon. “I’m not sure,” Mayo responded. “We evaluate this every week. Every position is a competition. We’ll regroup as a coaching staff and see where things stand.”
With a few extra days to regroup, the Patriots will soon turn their attention to a challenging Week 4 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on September 29. Though winless going into Week 3, the 49ers boast one of the league’s most formidable rosters, including an elite defense, making the road ahead daunting for the Patriots.
