Bailey Zappe had an eventful NFL debut Sunday, leading the New England Patriots into overtime at Lambeau Field.
The fourth-round pick got called into action when Brian Hoyer, starting for the injured Mac Jones, left the Week 4 game with a head injury. Just like that, a third-string quarterback was going toe-to-toe with the reigning MVP on the road.
Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Zappe disclosed what Aaron Rodgers told him after the Green Bay Packers squeaked out a 27-24 win.
“He just said ‘good luck the rest of the way’ and I said the same thing for him,” Zappe recalled. “He said ‘congrats on playing for the first time.’”
Per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Rodgers said the Packers needed to win because they “can’t be 2-2 losing to a third-string quarterback.”
Given the circumstances, Zappe held his own. The former Western Kentucky standout completed 10 of 15 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.
While first-round selection Kenny Pickett beat him to the field earlier that afternoon, Zappe is the only rookie quarterback with a passing touchdown.
The 23-year-old may get a chance to make his first career NFL start if Jones and Hoyer aren’t cleared for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. Zappe could make an even stronger early impression at home against the league’s bottom-ranked defense.