Curran: It’s not Jacoby Brissett’s job to mentor Drake Maye originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
Jacoby Brissett is saying all the right things.
The New England Patriots’ veteran quarterback, signed for $8 million in free agency, says he is “excited” to work with rookie Drake Maye and that the team’s first-round draft pick already sending him messages about parts. With eight seasons of NFL experience playing with five different teams and dozens of different QBs (including Tom Brady), Brissett seems like the perfect mentor to help with Maye’s professional development.
But Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran wants us to put the brakes on Brissett simply for being there to coach the QB heir apparent.
“Ninety-seven percent of Jacoby Brissett’s responsibilities this year are dedicated to winning football games and getting his stuff right,” Curran said Thursday night on NBC Sports Boston. Boston sports tonight, as seen in the video above. “That’s what he owes the Patriots. That’s what he’s being paid $8 million to do.
“If, by osmosis, Drake Maye learns, and if, occasionally, Jacoby Brissett says, ‘You want to look into this,’ then that’s great. But it’s not (Brissett’s) job to tutor, mentor, or otherwise treat him. as an apprentice. They need to compete. And I think that’s what Drake Maye needs to understand.
Brissett is the logical choice to start Week 1 instead of Maye, who has a lot of raw talent, but may need some polishing. Considering the Patriots have a relatively inexperienced offensive line and an underwhelming wide receiver group, it makes more sense to let a veteran QB like Brissett take the reins rather than putting Maye in a challenging position early on.
So for Curran, Brissett needs to behave like an incumbent rather than a guardian to Maye. Even in a hypothetical situation where New England was literally paying Brissett extra to coach him – “What if Brissett got $8 million and $2 million of those eight were, ‘Hey, we want you to mentor (‘) de Maye)'”, co-host Michael Holley suggested – Curran yet believes Brissett’s No. 1 focus should be winning football games.
“If I were Jacoby Brissett and I was presented with this,” Curran responded, “I would say, ‘Great. Do you know how I’m going to be the mentor? I’ll set an example and he can watch.
“Because I’m not going to show up at Drake Maye’s condo and talk to him about this and that or give him advice when he’s not starting out and talk to him about how to filter his inner circle. I’m playing football this year on the football team. I owe it to you, the Krafts (team owner Robert Kraft and president Jonathan Kraft), and the other guys in the locker room.
“I truly believe that’s what the Patriots want from him, and I believe that’s what Drake Maye wants from him.”
There’s a good chance Brissett understands this dynamic having played with Brady as a rookie. Brady was madly competitive and wasn’t the type of person to put his arm around a fellow QB and offer him words of wisdom. That said, Brissett and fellow backup Jimmy Garoppolo likely learned a lot from the legendary quarterback just by watching him go about his business in New England.
Brissett and Maye can certainly have a close relationship in Foxboro, and Maye can certainly glean valuable information from the 31-year-old QB. But they are also competing for the same starting role with the goal of helping their team, which ultimately should be the top priority.
