On Sunday, Drake Maye will make his highly anticipated debut for the New England Patriots against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. The franchise is hoping that he will be the quarterback to lead them to a new era of success.
Debut performances by quarterbacks are not always indicative of their future success, but it is interesting to look back at how some of the Patriots’ past quarterbacks fared in their first NFL starts. From Jim Plunkett to Mac Jones, each quarterback had a unique debut experience.
For example, Steve Grogan had a strong debut in 1975, leading the Patriots to a 24-16 victory over the 49ers with two touchdown passes. On the other hand, Tony Eason struggled in his debut in 1983, throwing an interception and being sacked once in a 26-3 loss to the Jets.
Drew Bledsoe, Tom Brady, and Matt Cassel all had different starts to their careers with the Patriots, but eventually found success in leading the team. Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett also showed promise in their debuts, each leading the Patriots to victory in their first starts.
Most recently, Mac Jones began his career with a solid performance in 2021, despite the team falling short against Miami. Bailey Zappe, the newest addition to the Patriots, got off to a good start in his debut against the Lions in 2022.
As Drake Maye prepares to make his debut, Patriots fans are excited to see what the future holds for the young quarterback and the team.
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