Before the 2016 NFL Draft, quarterback Jacoby Brissett did not want his name called by the Patriots.
“Honestly, I didn’t mean to be there,” Brissett told Devin and Jason McCourty Sunday evening in an episode of the twins’ Double Coverage “podcast. “When I visited there – my pre-project visit – I said to myself:” Hell no. If a team is writing to me, it’s better not to be them. »»
Indeed, to Brissett’s dismay, the Patriots selected him outside NC State with the 91st choice in total. Brissett was heading to New England to support Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo.
“I will never forget, Josh [McDaniels] called me on the phone the night of the draft, and I didn’t have my number saved, ”recalls Brissett. “This is how bad it was. I hadn’t even saved her number on my phone. I was like, ‘Shit, man.’ “
Once in Foxborough, Brissett quickly changed his tune. He credited Devin and a few former Patriots – defensive tackle Terrance Knight, defensive end Anthony Johnson and tight end Martellus Bennett – for creating a fun and welcoming environment.
“I’ve never met so many older guys who were so young, you know?” Said Brissett. “One of the main things I learned was how to be a pro. We laugh in the locker room and decompression when we don’t do soccer stuff, but when we were in soccer – everyone thinks it’s like the military – we were locked up and loaded. There was no game where we felt, “Shit, this team could beat us.” “
As a rookie, Brissett became the first black quarterback to start a game for the Patriots.
With Brady suspended the first four games of the season following the Deflategate scandal, Garoppolo started in weeks 1 and 2 before going down with a shoulder injury. Brissett took over in the second quarter of week 2, then started in weeks 3 and 4.
In three games with the Patriots that year, he had 61.8% of his passes and thrown 400 yards.
The following season, Brissett participated in three of New England’s four pre-season games. In the preseason final against the New York Giants, he completed 71.8% of his passes and threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns.
“I withdrew,” he said. “I was like, ‘I know I’m part of the team. It will be difficult for them to cut me. I really felt like I played my best game at that time, and I played my best football at that time throughout training camp and all that. “
Brissett did not know he would not be on the roster for the first game of the season. The Patriots traded it to the Indianapolis Colts for wide receiver Phillip Dorsett.
“I think Bill [Belichick] overshadowed [expletive]Brissett said smiling. “I think they swapped me right before training and still got me out and practicing.”
Brissett said he remembered the vibrations of Gillette Stadium the day the exchange took place.
“I’m walking down the hall, and everyone is looking at me like I’ve just committed a crime or something,” recalls Brissett. “And then I look at my locker and Tom is just sitting there, his head on his phone, and I think,” Shit, I hope it’s not for me. “It was crazy, man.
“My body was just frozen. I went to talk to Bill, and I didn’t even hear a word he said. In my head, I was like, “I don’t even know what trade means. Is that it now? And then, as soon as I left the room, they said to themselves, “ Yeah, we have to take you on a plane tonight because you should be playing in the game on Sunday. And I say to myself, “What?” I was like, “Hell no. I don’t even want to play yet. I don’t know where I’m going. »»
In the days following the exchange, Brissett received text messages from Devin and veteran Matthew Slater who reassured him about the situation. Brissett became the Colts starting quarterback that season, totaling 3,098 yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games.
“[Slater] was like, ‘Dude, listen. You’re about to go through some crazy times, but you’re built for it, and it’s part of the NFL, ”said Brissett. “Honestly, it was my awakening at the NFL, was traded and then the next week you were there in a game. It was like,” It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been here. You better know how to play . “
Brissett and Brady now play for different teams, but the pair apparently still stay in touch. Brissett expressed satisfaction that Brady still invites him out to the Kentucky Derby – even after his trade.
“We just became friends,” said Brissett. “You can text Tom and Tom responds like he is your girlfriend.”
