PATRIOTS HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
PRESS CONFERENCE
August 26, 2024
Q: Jerod, I just listened to you on the radio and just wanted to follow up on one thing, just on the long quote there on Jacoby [Brissett] and Drake [Maye]. I think at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby. I just wanted to ask you the context of that.
JM: Yeah, I would say it just starts in practice and also in the game where Drake has played better. Now, in saying that, everyone needs to know who the starters are going to be. I think there are multiple factors that kind of have to go into this decision. One is the total body of work, whether we're talking about the spring or the entirety of training camp. I would also say oftentimes we forget about just the overall experience that a guy like Jacoby has, which will also be weighted in the decision that we have to make here in the near future. But I'm happy with the way those guys are battling it out, and hopefully, over the next couple of days, we can name a starter and get the season rolling.
Q: And just one quick follow-up, Jerod. When did that start to turn in your view? Was there one point that stood out where he [Drake Maye] started to outplay him [Jacoby Brissett]?
JM: I don't have just a certain time, but I would say there's a combination where really it's one thing: it's just Drake becoming more comfortable with the scheme and more comfortable with the players around him. So, he's done a good job with that. I can't remember a certain point, though.
Q: I listened to you on WEEI this morning as well, and you said that we've all seen rookie quarterbacks thrown to the wolves too early. Is that just in reference to playing before they're ready, being put in a situation where there's an offensive line that can't protect them or something else?
JM: I think every situation is unique because I don't want to fall into this narrative fallacy or anything like that. Because you have seen rookie quarterbacks go out there and perform at a high level. I don't know how the story ends with Drake's rookie season, but all possibilities are open, and we'll see what happens as far as who we name the starter here in the near future.
Q: Another quick one. I know that roster cuts are coming up here, but has there been a decision made whether Kendrick Bourne, Sione Takitaki and Cole Strange will begin the season on the PUP [physically unable to perform list]?
JM: Yeah, there have been those decisions. I'd rather just wait to get those to you in whole because there have been decisions on a few players, just not all of them.
Q: Just kind of back to the quarterback situation for a sec. You mentioned that if Jacoby is the choice, it could be based upon experience. How do you determine what is the right time for Drake to get that experience? If in fact he's won the competition, kind of a, 'Why not now?' type of question in order for him to gain that appropriate experience?
JM: Yeah, when I spoke about experience, I just wanted to make sure that you guys had transparency as far as the different factors that go into making this decision. It's no secret that Jacoby's been in the league for a long time. At the same time, I will say Drake has been performing well here over the last few weeks. So, I just wanted to make sure that you guys knew the different factors that go into naming a starting quarterback.
Q: Just kind of following up on that. How do you kind of go about determining when is the right time for Drake if it's not right now?
JM: You know, that's something to think about going forward. It could be a lack of performance on the offense as a whole. It could be injury. It could be so many different things, and that's why it's hard right now to really go through all of those different scenarios where if Jacoby was the starter, when Drake would be ready to get in the game and things like that. So, it's a very – I don't want to say a unique situation, but it's a case within itself where I just don't know at this current time.
Q: I wanted to ask about the offensive line, the group we saw last night. Other than Nick [Leverett] being in for David [Andrews], is that the group you'd like to continue over the next two weeks before you get to Cincinnati, or where do things sort of stand on that unit?
JM: We still have some time to figure out what the best combination is. I would say those guys, pre-snap penalties aside, there were definitely times where that unit out there did a pretty good job for the quarterback and especially in the run game. Anytime you average over 5 yards a carry, it's a good day in the run game. Now in saying that, I'm not sure what the exact combination looks like, but we got in at 4:00 this morning, and we're still kind of cranking through the film. But we'll have a group ready to go for Cincy [Cincinnati].
Q: When it comes to cuts, will you guys start that process today or do it tomorrow?
JM: That's a conversation I'm going to have with Eliot [Wolf]. We spoke a little bit about it last night, how we wanted to approach it, but we're both rookies in the game, and it'll probably start sometime here soon.
Q: Hey Jerod, on the offensive line, just wondering, given the issues at center, would you at all consider trying Cole Strange out at center when he's ready to come back?
JM: Yeah, I mean, that was always a possibility when we drafted Cole was that he did have that flex to be able to go in there and snap. In saying that, I'm not sure when Cole will be ready to go. That's for the medical professionals and Cole to decide, but if he's healthy, he'll definitely get some of those opportunities.
Q: I guess, what about him makes him potentially intriguing option at center? Because I know there were a lot of evaluators before the draft who thought he could play center in the pros.
JM: Yeah, I would say his overall athleticism. I mean, he's one of those guys that even though he's a bigger guy, he can move, and he can move bodies. So, he's a very athletic offensive lineman, in my opinion.
Q: So, I've heard you and Eliot kind of repeatedly point to having the number-three waiver claim coming up here. Do you guys expect to be active on the trade market for the next 36 hours or so, or are you more just kind of good with having the high waiver claim there?
JM: I don't want to overshoot anything as far as the waiver wire. We're always looking for ways to improve the roster. I would say between Eliot and myself, we're on the same page, whether it's through trades, the waiver wire, whatever else it is, getting the guy off the street, we're just always in the mindset of, 'How do we get this roster better, and how do we continue to improve as a team going forward?'
Q: Have there been any intriguing trade offers or anything over the last couple of days?
JM: That's an Eliot question. He only brings me the ones that are pretty important.
Q: Jerod, I want to ask again about the overall experience in Jacoby's longevity tenure in the league. For context on that, is that related to seeing a variety of schemes playing in adverse conditions on the road? What goes into the importance of that experience and longevity?
JM: I would say all of the above, Bob. Whether it's a road game in a tough environment, weather, just going out there leading teams to victory. Those are all things that are important. Once again, I just wanted to be very transparent about just the different – let's call it critical factors – that have to go into this decision going forward when we're naming a starting quarterback.
Q: Just a quick follow-up on a different position, the kicking situation. What do you want in a place kicker? We saw, obviously, Joey [Slye] get the attempts last night from a very long distance at the end of each half. When you make the decision on that position, if it hasn't been made already, what do you want as a head coach?
JM: Yeah, we just want someone that's steady. Someone that can make just all the field goals. So, give me a 100% kicker. Give me someone who can kick the ball through the uprights 100% of the time. But that competition, it's been going on all training camp. It's definitely anytime you have the ability to score points or a player on your team that can score points, it's an important spot. This league, it comes down to the wire a lot of the times, and you've got to have a kicker that you can trust and depend on.
Q: Jerod, I'm still trying to get my hands around [Chukwuma] Okorafor getting called three times for the illegal alignment. I understand: national TV game, point of emphasis, official who's known to throw a lot of flags. I'm just wondering, what could you add? Was he not listening? Was the coaching – was there a breakdown there? Was it a temporary sort of brain fart by him? What happened there?
JM: I would say the most frustrating thing for me is if a referee or an umpire tells you, he warned you multiple times – really all the tackles, both tackles, they warn you multiple times that you're too far back. Then, they throw the flag a few times. We just have to do business as business is being done. It's, 'Move up.' There's no one else to blame. It's pretty clear when you watch it on film that you have to break the center's hip. That was the most disheartening part for me as a coach. It was definitely a learning experience for me as well. I have to be tougher on those things here going forward, but if you want to blame someone for that, you can blame me for that one.
Q: Has Chuks [Chukwuma Okorafor] shown you that he's willing to take that coaching or willing to listen?
JM: Yeah, he's absolutely willing to listen. I would say it's just one of those things where you've been doing something a certain way, you're in the middle of the game and they ask you to change it up. We have to have that mental agility to be able to do that. I would say last night, we were very rigid in our thought, and it was unfortunate, but it was a learning experience, not only for those guys up front, but also for myself.
Q: Kind of adding to the discipline part of it. It wasn't just obviously the offense that was penalized, it was also the defense, even special teams. As the head coach, you had the first preseason game where it was six penalties. It seemed like you only had one the next week, and now it tripled from that first week. So, how do you address that for the whole team, and how do you really just set the tone to get them back on track when you have a night like that with so many flags?
JM: Yeah, it goes back to let's do business as being done, and you can't win until you keep from losing. Quite frankly, we're not good enough as a team to continually go backwards. We always have to win the hidden yardage game. We need to always win the penalty battle, and you can throw turnovers in there as well. That's just something that I'm going to harp on, and hopefully, it gets better here in the near future.
