Bailey Zappe no longer is a member of the Patriots, but the third-year quarterback still has a fan in Jerod Mayo.
Zappe was released by New England on Tuesday when NFL teams were forced to trim their rosters down to 53 players. One day later, the 25-year-old reportedly latched on with the Chiefs, joining a quarterback room that features Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz.
Mayo on Wednesday was asked about the recent developments involving Zappe, who previously was competing with Jacoby Brissett and rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton III in Foxboro, Mass.
"One thing I'll say about Zappe: Look, he's been the ultimate professional even before I took this role," Mayo told reporters, per a team-provided video. "We've had a good relationship. I'm always going to root for a guy like Zappe. Always had a great attitude even when things probably weren't ideal for him personally. In saying that, we think these three quarterbacks have a chance to be better than what Zappe displayed."
Barring injuries, Zappe won't have an opportunity for playing time in Kansas City, which also would've been the case if he stuck around in New England. But unlike the Patriots, the Chiefs can offer the 2022 fourth-round pick an opportunity to develop with elite coaching in a winning environment.
So, while KC most likely will be a pit stop for Zappe, his new gig could bode well for his NFL future.
