Brian Hoyer explained how Jacoby Brissett’s role as a mentor for Drake Maye will differ from perception
"Tom Brady was concerned about beating the Baltimore Ravens and Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, not teaching me how to play quarterback in the NFL."
As someone who has been both the young backup as well as the veteran starter at various points in his lengthy NFL career, Brian Hoyer has a good perspective on what the Patriots’ quarterback room might look like during the 2024 season.
New England recently selected quarterback Drake Maye third overall in the NFL Draft, but also has 31-year-old Jacoby Brissett as the likely starter over the short term. Hoyer, 38, tried to offer an overview of how a rookie-veteran quarterback dynamic actually works during an interview with MassLive’s Karen Guregian on an episode of the podcast, “Eye On Foxborough.”
In general, Hoyer thinks Brissett will be a benefit to Maye’s development at the professional level.
“Having a guy like Jacoby Brissett will really help Drake because Jacoby’s a veteran who’s seen it all, done it all, has had success, [and] will be a great mentor for him,” said Hoyer. “I think that’s something [Maye] will need to lean heavily on.”
Hoyer said he was “impressed” with what he’s seen from Maye on tape, and that he thinks issues the 21-year-old has with footwork are correctable.
As for how Brissett and Maye might work together, Hoyer explained how the onus is mostly on the younger player’s shoulders to simply pay attention. He cited his time watching Tom Brady (Hoyer came into the NFL as an un-drafted free agent with the Patriots in 2009).
“What I learned from Tom was [that] I wasn’t going to go to him and ask 100 questions. It was my job to sit back and learn from him,” Hoyer noted. “I think as a competitor, you never want anyone to do your job. You never want to see anyone doing your job.”
Despite the perception that an older quarterback needs to work specifically with a younger player, Hoyer disagreed.
“Tom Brady was concerned about beating the Baltimore Ravens and Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, not teaching me how to play quarterback in the NFL,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest misconception is, ‘Oh, this quarterback’s going to have to go in and really groom this [younger] quarterback. That’s not the quarterback’s job. That’s the coach’s job.
“Just being around someone where you see them study film the correct way, go to practice with the right approach, break the huddle, it’s the little subtle things like that where it’s your responsibility as a young guy to pick up on that by just watching,” Hoyer added. “You don’t need to be pestering the starter with a bunch of different questions.”
Still, Hoyer acknowledged that Maye will undoubtedly have more specific questions that Brissett will be in the best position to answer.
And regarding Brissett’s personality, Hoyer endorsed him as a person who will wholeheartedly help the younger quarterback.
“Now if you have something that’s really bothering you, and you don’t feel like the coach can give you an answer, then you go to the starting quarterback,” Hoyer noted. “I know Jacoby, and I know he’s a great competitor, but he’s also a great human being and a great guy. So, he won’t hold anything back as far as helping Drake out.
“But I think, like I said before, Drake will learn so much just by watching Jacoby and his approach on a day-in, day-out basis.”
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