Drake Maye Fans Should Consider Insight From Ex-Patriots Coach

The New England Patriots face a quarterback conundrum heading into their final preseason game, and it will be up to head coach Jerod Mayo and his staff to make the right call.

Mayo on Monday changed his tune about the quarterback room when he noted that he had not yet named a starting quarterback. The language change came after Drake Maye made strides in his second preseason game while Jacoby Brissett looked shaky in front of a weak offensive line.

Bill Parcells is no stranger to dealing with murky QB rooms and the expectations of Robert Kraft and Patriots fans. The Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy this month tracked down the former New England head coach who noted that fans always want to see something new, “particularly if you’re losing games.” While Shaughnessy didn’t specifically mention the Maye/Brissett situation, fans might want to consider Parcells’ caution about young signal-callers.

“Fans never consider the psychological makeup of the player you’re getting ready to throw to the wolves,” Parcells told Shaughnessy. “What you really have to judge is the timing and the chance to succeed. Sometimes if they don’t succeed, it destroys them.

“So I think you just have to see what you’re dealing with personally. What kind of temperament he seems to have. How does he respond to negative play situations or hard coaching?

“Fans will say, ‘Well, if he can’t take it, we don’t want him anyway,’ but when this is a high draft choice, you’ve got to do everything in your power to allow him to have a chance to succeed. Economically, these days, it’s not in your best interest if he doesn’t succeed. It’s bad if you have a lot of expense and no production.”

Parcells drafted Drew Bledsoe first overall in the 1993 NFL Draft and he started right away. Scott Secules was not a much better alternative, which was why Parcells took his time with Phil Simms and Tony Romo.

Brissett has been mentored by Parcells since he was a 15-year-old high schooler in West Palm Beach, but the two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach admitted he wasn’t taking sides and simply will view things from afar.

“I don’t have any advice for New England fans,” Parcells said. “I’m too smart to give them advice.”

Patriots fans will have to wait and see how things play out in the preseason finale against the Washington Commanders on Sunday at Commanders Field.