Bill Belichick Still Won’t Confirm Starting QB After Bailey Zappe Win

Bill Belichick liked the way Bailey Zappe performed in his first two starts of the 2023 season. But he wouldn’t confirm whether Zappe will remain atop the depth chart moving forward.

The Patriots head coach stayed on message after Zappe led New England to a 21-18 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, declining for the fourth consecutive week to name a starting quarterback.

“I’m not going to get into the future plans right now,” Belichick said Friday in a video conference. “We have a little bit of extra time this weekend. We’ll kind of recalibrate things a little bit. Certainly, Bailey’s done a good job. He’s earned playing time. But how exactly that’ll go, we’ll talk about that.”

Zappe started the last two games in place of an ineffective Mac Jones. The Patriots were shut out in the first but won the second to snap a five-game losing streak. Zappe was excellent in the first half against Pittsburgh, throwing for 196 yards and three touchdowns, before cooling after halftime. His final line: 19 of 28, 240 yards, three touchdowns, one interception.

The performance likely earned Zappe another start Sunday against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, even if the team’s long-term QB question remains unanswered. Belichick, though, said he’s “not going to announce anything.”

“Everybody will be ready to play,” the coach said, “and when the players get a chance to play, then they’ll have an opportunity to show they deserve more playing time. Or maybe somebody moves ahead of them. We’ll see how it goes, but certainly he’s done a good job in the two opportunities he’s had to execute the offense.

Jones, the Patriots’ starter for the last two seasons and the first 11 games of this campaign, dressed but did not play against Pittsburgh. So did Malik Cunningham, who was elevated from the practice squad for the second straight week but again did not log a snap.