The New England Patriots cut ties with veteran backup quarterback Brian Hoyer over the weekend, much to their starter’s chagrin.
Speaking Tuesday on WEEI’s “Greg Hill Show,” Tom Brady said it was “very difficult” to see Hoyer, his friend for the last decade, fall victim to roster cuts.
“He has been a great friend ever since he came to our team in 2009,” Brady said. “I always kept in touch with him. When he came back two seasons ago, we picked up right where he left off. He added so much to our meeting room. I had so much trust and confidence in the things that he saw. He also had been exposed to a lot of different offensive systems, so he brought some different knowledge — how people ran different offenses and so forth. He always provided great insight and great leadership.
“It’s very difficult to see your friends get released, and that was really no different. It’s part of what happens in the NFL. I will never get used to it. I know that any team that Brian is on is a better team for having him. Indy has got a great quarterback in having Brian there.”
With Hoyer, who played 4 1/2 seasons with the Patriots over two stints, out of the picture, the Patriots’ quarterback room this season will feature just two players: Brady and rookie fourth-round draft pick Jarrett Stidham, who beat out Hoyer for the backup job with a strong preseason.
Stidham on Sunday thanked the 33-year-old Hoyer for the help he provided him this summer.
“Brian provided a lot,” Brady said on WEEI. “He was a great quarterback for our team. … He just brought a great positive energy to the team — always optimistic — and I think there’s times for me that I get frustrated or I get down or disappointed with things that may have happened and he would always try and bring me back to center pretty quickly.
“I love the relationship I have with him. It will certainly continue on in its own personal way. We just won’t be working together.”
Two days after his release, Hoyer signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts that included $9 million guaranteed. He’ll begin the season as the backup to Jacoby Brissett, another former Brady understudy.
Brady said he was not consulted on the decision to cut Hoyer and roll with Stidham.
“No,” he said. “Those are (Bill Belichick’s) choices. As someone who chooses the team, that’s what his responsibility is. I think everyone trusts him. Mr. (Robert) Kraft trusts him. The team trusts him to make the best decisions possible. … (Cutdown day) is probably one of the toughest days of the year, if not the toughest outside of losing games.”
