FOXBORO, Mass. -- Bailey Zappe became a source of energy one way or another for fans over the first two years of his Patriots career.
Zappe won two starts in 2022 while filling in for the injured Mac Jones. When the two split time during a disastrous Monday night loss to the Chicago Bears that season, New England fans chanted for Zappe all night long. That was far from the only time those echoes rang in from the New England crowd.
The Patriots overhauled the quarterback position this offseason by trading Jones, signing veteran Jacoby Brissett, drafting their star of the future in Drake Maye and also selecting Joe Milton III.
Thursday night marked the first night all four quarterbacks took the field in a new start for New England. The home crowd peaked with a roar as Maye took the field on the team's second possession for his only drive of the night. When Zappe entered for Maye next time out, it wasn't the same reaction Patriots fans had for him in the past.
That's something Zappe seemed ready for, especially while chuckling when asked about that trend after New England's preseason win over the Carolina Panthers.
"It's a little opposite to what it's been the last two years," Zappe said at Gillette Stadium. "When it was happening the opposite way, it really wasn't bothering me. When it's happening this way, didn't bother me at all, either."
Zappe did conduct the Patriots' first scoring drive of the game that included a key 28-yard pass play to second-year receiver Kayshon Boutte. The New England quarterback feels that's all he needs to do to keep the crowd on his side.
"We drove down and scored," Zappe added. "I think they were cheering after that. That's all you really can do as a quarterback is go score. (Then), everybody's happy."
Roster construction could be bringing Zappe's career with the Patriots to a close shortly, but his mindset remains the same.
