Patriots’ Jacoby Brissett Reveals Initial Reaction To Winning QB Battle

Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett was a popular man Thursday.

New England -- more specifically, head coach Jerod Mayo -- named the 31-year-old the starting quarterback before getting the day's work underway at Gillette Stadium, leading to a large media scrum surrounding the veteran during locker room access.

Brissett was asked about the decision and gave the expected answer.

"I'm grateful for this opportunity and I'm also excited for it," Brissett told reporters. "... It's nothing I take for granted, that's for sure. I'm excited. It's been a lot of work. long days, long nights."

The Patriots' decision to role with Brissett wasn't exactly obvious, though it was expected. Mayo admitted that Maye had outplayed the veteran during the latter stages of the summer, but with both short- and long-term success in mind, it always made sense to roll with the more experienced player while the rest of the team (and coaching staff) figured itself out.

Brissett can now prepare as the starter, which is a win. Maye can continue to find motivation in his status as the backup, which is a win. The Patriots haven't handled it perfectly, but this decision -- no matter how obvious -- was the right one.