When Jacoby Brissett decided to return to the Patriots last March, the veteran quarterback appeared to enter a pretty good situation in New England.
It turned out to be quite the opposite.
Brissett surely knew there was a good chance he wouldn’t last the full season as the Patriots’ starting quarterback, but his demotion arrived far earlier than expected. The veteran signal-caller was stapled to the bench in Week 6 after the Patriots opened the season 1-4 with Brissett behind center.
The 32-year-old didn’t play well enough to have a longer leash, but as he relayed to reporters last week, the situation around him didn’t help the cause.
“There’s so much I could say, but I guess, ‘not ideal.’ Obviously, a unique situation here,” Brissett told reporters, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I’m not the one to make excuses, but at some point, somebody is going to have to watch the film and understand what I was dealing with. I think that kind of speaks for itself. I think it’s very easy for people to blame the quarterback for things — that’s what this profession is — but yeah man, tough year.”
The Patriots, who reportedly offered Brissett a two-year deal last spring, reportedly want the ninth-year pro back in New England next season. But the 2016 third-round pick deflected when asked about a potential new contract with the Patriots, which could mean he’s anticipating a fresh start elsewhere.
And that probably would be the best course of action for Brissett. Now in the twilight years of his career, Brissett should look for a situation where he has a chance of seeing the field.
