PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK BAILEY ZAPPE

PRESS CONFERENCE

October 12, 2022

Q: How you doing Bailey?

BZ: Doing good.

Q: How much more comfortable are you running this Patriots offense now, just having another week of practicing?

BZ: Yeah, I think every day I'll continue to get more and more comfortable every day getting reps. Getting reps before and after practice with my teammates, during practice. Just continue to take it day-by-day and getting better every day.

Q: What's your mindset like this week between you and Mac [Jones], who's going to go, what's your mindset?

BZ: I'm just taking advantage of my reps at practice and doing what my coaches tell me I'm supposed to be doing, doing it to my full ability and giving my team my 100 percent.

Q: Is being an NFL quarterback what you thought it was going to be?

BZ: Hundred percent. It takes a lot of work. You got to be here early, stay late. I love the game of football. I love watching film. I love learning the game of football, so this stuff is fun for me.

Q: What do you think you're most improving on with your game reps, your practice reps, as you go about this?

BZ: Yeah, there's a few things that I feel like I've improved on a little bit, but there's some things that I can continue to work on. Pre-snap recognition, post-snap seeing coverages, stuff like that, is some stuff that I feel like I've gotten a little bit better at, but there's a lot more improvement I can make in that area.

Q: Bailey, do you feel the fanbase kind of rallying around you? I know you just played a home game, you started that game. Do you feel the fanbase and the support that they're giving you right now?

BZ: Yeah, I mean I appreciate the support, but honestly, right now I'm focused on this Sunday against the Browns and preparing with my teammates and getting ready for Sunday.

Q: Bailey, have you heard of a thing called 'Zappe Fever'?

BZ: Nope, I have not.

Q: You're smiling.

BZ: I guess I've heard a little bit about it. I mean, I haven't dove into any of that. I don't really pay attention to that stuff, I'm just focused on what's going on right now and that's the Browns.

Q: Are you prepping to be the starter this week?

BZ: I'm preparing to do what my coaches tell me I'm supposed to be doing. Right now, that's to take practice reps and doing everything I can to help the team.

Q: What's your relationship like with Mac Jones? Are you guys friends? Are you guys competitors? How's the quarterback room with you guys?

BZ: I guess you could say it's a little of both. We're friends. He helps me a lot, I try to help him, as much as I can. I'm always picking his brain and doing everything I can to continue to learn and grow. I think our QB room with Garrett Gilbert, and of course Brian Hoyer, we have a good QB group. I like to pick all those guys' brains.

Q: Bailey, in terms of the scope of plays that you guys are running, when you're in there, do you feel like the play book is growing, do you feel like you can do more and more every single week?

BZ: Yeah, I think so. I guess that comes with more and more reps, especially with everybody as the weeks go on. You continue to grow your play book, you continue to grow. Whether it's the open field, red area, whatever you have to do to win games.

Q: Was Mac [Jones] a little more active today at practice as compared to last week?

BZ: That's a question for Coach [Bill] Belichick.

Q: I'm just wondering, as far as it relates to you, are you dealing with fewer snaps in practice this week?

BZ: I'm just taking advantage of the reps that they give me.

Q: How important has Evan Rothstein been to your year, thus far this year, if at all? I don't know how closely you guys have worked together.

BZ: I've picked Evan's [Rothstein] brain a lot, too. He's been around the game of football, especially NFL, for a while. That's somebody that I go to for a lot of things, such as Joe Judge, Matty P [Matt Patricia] and Coach [Bill] Belichick. He's another guy that I like going to and picking his brain, asking him questions on certain things. He always has great feedback.

Q: What did that win feel like and how important is it for you to continue to have that feeling as you go throughout this season?

BZ: Yeah, it was a great win for us as a team. We played great team football, all three phases. Going into this week, we really want to continue to grow on that and get ready for the Browns this Sunday.