In the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots surprised many by selecting NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett in the third round when they already had Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo on their roster.
Brissett, who was third on the team’s depth chart, ended up appearing in three games and starting two as a rookie due to Brady’s suspension and Garoppolo’s injury. He led the team to a 1-1 record while completing 61.8 percent of his passes for 400 yards.
After his rookie year, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for receiver Phillip Dorsett, and he ended up bouncing around a bit, most notably to the Miami Dolphins for the 2021 season.
In Miami, Brissett thought he had a chance to beat out 2019 first-round draft pick Tua Tagvoailoa for the starting job, but he was named the backup late in camp, and it devastated him. He thought it was going to be the end of his NFL career.
“Obviously they wanted Tua to be the guy and that’s understandable, but I thought I had a really good training camp and deserved this chance,” Brissett said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “I was disappointed once again and I said to myself, ‘I’m done with this this year. I’m going to retire. Football breaks my heart more than it makes me happy.'”
Fortunately, Brissett was able to communicate with his counselor, who helped him regain control of his situation, and he joined the Cleveland Browns where he played in Alex Van Pelt’s offense and had starting opportunities with Deshaun Watson suspended.
After spending the 2023 season with the Washington Commanders, Brissett signed a one-year, $8 million contract this offseason with the Patriots, and head coach Jerod Mayo, who retired from playing just a year before the quarterback entered the league, named him the starter over third-overall pick Drake Maye.
Brissett will now have the opportunity to lead New England again, and if he succeeds, it could be for a full season.
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