National Football League

Why Tom Brady believes Patriots made right QB choice with Jacoby Brissett over Drake Maye

Updated Sep. 7, 2024 1:12 p.m. ET

Tom Brady wants all quarterbacks to at least get a taste of what he experienced when he entered the NFL in 2000. That include the man the New England Patriots hope will become their first franchise quarterback since Brady — Drake Maye.

Brady was asked if his former team made the right call starting Jacoby Brissett over Maye during new FOX NFL analyst's appearance on "The Herd" Tuesday ahead of making his broadcasting debut on "America's Game of The Week" between the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Brady believes his former teammate, new Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo, made the correct decision.

"I've gone on record, in my opinion, that I think it's best that young quarterbacks, or rookie quarterbacks, watch a veteran do it," Brady said. "There's so much that goes on and quarterbacks need to process so much information so quickly. I think if you can have someone [to learn from] — and I sat behind Drew Bledsoe my first year — what a great player he was, someone that I got to watch and learn from. Aaron Rodgers watched behind Brett Favre. Patrick Mahomes watched behind Alex Smith.

"When you have a real pro in front of you, they can help with that learning curve even though that young quarterback isn't necessarily going out there and losing confidence in what his abilities are."

Brady can certainly attest to the ideology that sitting a young quarterback for some time is the best path forward. He only played in the closing moments in one blowout loss for the New England Patriots as a rookie. He started his second season on the bench, but replaced Bledsoe when he was severely injured in Week 2 of the 2021 season.

Of course, Brady went on to become arguably the best player in NFL history. However, as a sixth-round pick, he didn't carry the expectations entering the league that Maye and the record five other quarterbacks in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft currently hold. Maye, who the Patriots selected with the third overall pick, was also impressive enough in training camp and the preseason for Mayo to say that the rookie had outperformed Brissett despite opting to start the veteran who once backed up Brady.

Tom Brady shares if he would start Drake Maye over Patriots current QB1 Jacoby Brissett

Even if Maye might be the more talented player of the two, Brady reiterated that there's value for the North Carolina product and other rookies to watch another quarterback who's played the position before.

"Ultimately, those young players are going to get opportunities," Brady said. "The franchises need those young quarterbacks to come in and take a big step and lead that franchise on into the future. I just like to give them a little bit of time to acclimate themselves to the pro game, the pro schedule. It's a big difference between college football and professional football."

As Maye will watch Brissett play against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, three other first-round quarterbacks will start their respective team's openers. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams will start for the Chicago Bears against the Tennessee Titans. No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels will start for the Washington Commanders against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bo Nix, who was the sixth quarterback taken at No. 12 overall, will start for the Denver Broncos against the Seattle Seahawks.

Williams and Daniels, in particular, have garnered the most buzz ahead of their debuts, with both arguably being among the best quarterback prospects in recent memory after winning the last two Heisman Trophies in college football. Brady said that Williams is "exceptional" at moving around in the pocket, but that isn't what he's looking to see when he takes the field for the first time on Sunday.

Tom Brady discusses what to watch for in Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels' debuts

"I think it's very easy to evaluate the physical aspect of the game, how well he throws the ball, how fast his feet are when he drops back in the pocket and can you escape the pocket and make some plays on the run," Brady said. "For me, I think the sustainable part about quarterbacking is really what's in the brain. Are you snapping the ball and running good plays consistently against the defenses that you're [going up against]?

"When you're looking at starting quarterbacks in the NFL, everybody should be able to throw the ball well, everybody should be able to drop back and make accurate throws. It's what can you do when you're on the road, in front of 70,000 people, and every single player in the offensive huddle looks at you and your eyes going, 'Does this guy have the confidence in himself to bring us back when we're losing in the fourth quarter?' I think that's the mark of what I see in quarterbacks when I watch them."

So, if things don't go well right away for any of the three rookies this weekend, that might not mean it's time to panic. Rather, it could serve as a good opportunity just to see how good each of them is, at least in Brady's eyes. And someday, Maye will get that chance, too.

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