The 2024 NFL Draft's No. 3 overall pick made a rather unceremonious prime-time debut.
Drake Maye took over at quarterback for the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter of a 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday night.
The Patriots were trailing by the final score with 4:24 to go in the game when Maye was inserted. He finished making his abbreviated first impression having completed 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a 56.2 rating. He also scrambled twice for 12 yards.
Patriots starter Jacoby Brissett was hit early and often while leading a New England offense that mustered just 139 yards and 11 first downs in the first half. With the game's outcome decided, head coach Jerod Mayo decided to give his rookie and future franchise signal-caller some playing time.
"I just thought it was an opportunity, a good opportunity for him to go out there with the ones and put a few drives together," Mayo said. "He moved the ball, we'll watch the film and evaluate."
On Friday morning, Mayo told reporters that despite Maye's debut, Brissett remains New England's starter going forward.
"Jacoby is our quarterback until I say he's not the quarterback," the Patriots head coach said.
Though the result on Thursday night wasn't in question, Maye still faced a nasty Jets defense.
The North Carolina product took over on what turned out to be the final drive of the game.
He threw an incompletion on his first NFL play and two snaps later was slammed to the ground on a 1-yard scramble. He was pressured three times, sacked twice and drove the Patriots from their 42-yard line to the Jets' 7-yard line.
He was sacked on the final play as Mayo let the game tick away rather than call a timeout to let his rookie have another shot at getting the Pats into the end zone.
There was little ballyhoo for the No. 3 pick's first action, as he finished out an ugly loss and took the first big hits of his career.