FOXBORO, Mass. — Jerod Mayo made two announcements regarding the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback over the last six weeks. The season-opening reveal when veteran Jacoby Brissett was named the starter played out a bit differently than the elevation of rookie Drake Maye.
The Patriots first-year head coach didn’t seem too happy about the latter.
“A little bit,” Mayo said at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday when asked if he was disappointed in how the news was leaked.
Patriots players were off Tuesday as reports from the top NFL insiders and beat reporters surfaced that afternoon. Mayo didn’t tell the players until Wednesday.
“Any type of decision that’s a big decision, you want to let the team know first,” Mayo said. “But in saying that, look, these guys, they read everything. It’s fine.”
Mayo initially indicated he spoke with Maye and Brissett on Tuesday night. That would mean they likely found out via ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. That’s not a great look. However, the Patriots clarified Mayo’s press conference comments and said Mayo told the two quarterbacks Monday night.
That led to tinfoil-hat theories about the actual timeline. Was it just a verbal flub? Is that really how it played out? Regardless, the unveil made for another inconsistency.
Prior to Week 1, Mayo insisted on informing the players in a team meeting of his decision to start Brissett. Mayo and company then added a previously unscheduled press conference the next morning and, following the team meeting, formally announced Brissett as the starter during a 90-second presser.
This time around, he didn’t have the opportunity to do things the same way.
Perhaps it’s not a major deal, at least for players. Patriots running back Antonio Gibson on Wednesday said he didn’t care that he found out the news on social media.
Mayo seemingly did not feel the same way, perhaps because of how it reflects on him given the leak originated somewhere. At the very least, it was another inconsistency after an early-season stretch where there were a handful of them.