In the third round of the 2016 NFL draft, the New England Patriots surprised many when they selected NC State quarterback Jacoby Brissett in the third round despite already having Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster.
Brissett, who was third on the team's depth chart, ended up appearing in three games and starting two as a rookie due to Brady's suspension and Garoppolo's injury. He led the team to a 1-1 record while completing 61.8% of his passes for 400 yards.
After his first year, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, and he ended up bouncing around a bit including to the Miami Dolphins for the 2021 season.
In Miami, Brissett believed he had a chance to beat out 2019 first-round pick Tua Tagvoailoa for the starting job, but he was named the backup out of camp, and it crushed him. He believed that was going to be the end of his NFL career.
"Obviously they wanted Tua to be the guy and understandably so, but I thought I had a really good training camp and deserved that chance," Brissett said (via. ESPN's Mike Reiss). "I got let down again and was like, 'I'm done after this year. I'm going to retire. Football is breaking my heart more than it's making me happy.'"
Luckily, Brissett was able to communicate with his counselor, who got his mind back on track, and he joined the Cleveland Browns where he played in Alex Van Pelt's offense and got starting opportunities with Deshaun Watson suspended.
After spending the 2023 season with the Washington Commanders, Brissett signed a one-year, $8 million deal this offseason back with the Patriots, and head coach Jerod Mayo, who retired from playing just a year before the quarterback entered the league, named him the starter over third-overall pick Drake Maye.
Now, Brissett will have an opportunity to lead New England again, and if he's successful, it could be for a full season.
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