The Patriots began their Week 1 preparations for the Cincinnati Bengals on Labor Day, but also announcing six captains that will lead the team into the 2024 campaign.

Earlier this summer new head coach Jerod Mayo said it would be up to the players to choose their captains for the season.

"I think it's always important to allow their peers to vote on captains," said Mayo. "I know in my head who I think the leaders of the team are. Hopefully, that marries up with what the players say. But I think the players should have the opportunity to vote on their captains. One thing I will say on that, I've never been a huge fan of having 10 captains, eight captains or anything like that. I don't know what that number looks like, but it will be up to the players.'

Here are the six captains that the team landed on.

David Andrews: This will be Andrews' eighth time as a Patriots captain, dating back to his third year in the league, 2017, when he was first voted captain. Andrews is one of the team's most tenured leaders and owns two Super Bowl rings to prove it. With questions swirling around how the offensive line will come together, Andrews is a trusted piece that can be counted on. He signed a one-year contract extension this spring, with Mayo calling him someone who represents everything the team wants to stand for.

"It was important for us to reward the guys that we want here, the guys that encompass the Patriot way, the guys that come to work each and every day with a good attitude, looking to get better," said Mayo. "[Andrews] is one of those guys. He's a leader on this team. And it was important for us to keep him around."

Ja'Whaun Bentley: This will make Bentley's fourth time as a Patriots captain after entering the league as a fifth-round pick in the 2018 draft. Bentley is one of the key communicators on defense and saw his role in 2023 rise to new levels, playing 91 percent of the defensive snaps. His 4.5 sacks and 12 QB hits were also career highs as the linebacker has continued to round out his game on all three downs.

Jacoby Brissett: The Patriots recently named Brissett their starting quarterback and the team also chose him as a captain for the first time in his eight seasons. Brissett's leadership has been praised throughout training camp, as the vet has stabilized a remade room while providing mentorship to the team's two rookie quarterbacks who made the 53-man roster.

"He's a big, strong, relentless preparer, in terms of his ability to take the game plan and apply it through the week to Sunday," said Eliot Wolf this past spring prior to the draft. "He's got a good arm. He's big and strong. And we feel like if we end up drafting a quarterback high, he is someone that can support that player and would be a positive influence on them, while competing with them."

Deatrich Wise Jr.: Wise has been voted captain for the third year in a row as the veteran has emerged as a next-generation leader for the Patriots. Wise had a breakout season in 2022, his sixth year in the league, recording highs in tackles, sacks (7.5) and forced fumbles (2), and had another solid year in 2023 with 4.5 sacks, a forced fumbles and six QB hits.

Jabrill Peppers: This is Peppers' first season as a Patriots captain after being a two-time special teams captain for the Giants in 2020 and 2021. Since arriving in New England in 2022 Peppers has quickly emerged as one of the team's best tone-setters on defense. His fiery nature was again on display this summer when Peppers was miked up for joint practice against the Philadelphia Eagles. The physical safety signed a three-year contract extension this offseason and now cements his place as one of the team's key foundational pieces.

"I'm happy to have Pep (Jabrill Peppers) here and the other players that we've re-signed that were already on our team before, as we continue to build forward," said Mayo earlier this summer. "So, his energy and toughness, it encompasses what I believe a good defensive player."

Joe Cardona: Cardona is one of the Patriots longest-tenured players alongside David Andrews and now has a captaincy to his name as well for the first time. The nine-year veteran has been a reliable long-snapping cog and was also announced as the 13th winner of the NFL's Salute to Service award this past offseason as his impact has been felt both on and off the field, as well as in the community.