The New England Patriots aren’t ready to give the reins to Drake Maye just yet.

The Patriots announced Thursday that Jacoby Brissett will start in Week 1 ahead of the third-overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Brissett, 31, was a sixth-round pick of the Patriots in 2016. He played for five other teams before re-signing with the rebuilding Pats prior to this season.

For his career, Brissett is 18-30 as a starter.

Maye is seen as New England’s QB of the future.

But unlike the first two picks in the draft (Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears and Jaden Daniels of the Washington Commanders), the North Carolina product won’t start in Week 1.

The Patriots have been unsettled at quarterback since Tom Brady left in 2020.

New England opens its season Sept. 8 in Cincinnati against the Bengals.

After a tumultuous offseason for the New England Patriots following Tom Brady’s departure, the team has finally named Jacoby Brissett as their starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Brissett, who previously played for the Patriots from 2016-2017 before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts, has returned to New England to take on the role of leading the offense.

Brissett’s journey back to the Patriots has been a long and winding one. After being drafted by New England in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, he served as a backup to Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo during his rookie season. When Brady was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season, Brissett stepped in and showed promise, leading the team to a 3-1 record in his absence.

Following his time with the Patriots, Brissett was traded to the Colts where he became their starting quarterback. He had a solid season in 2019, throwing for over 2,900 yards and 18 touchdowns. However, injuries and inconsistent play led to his eventual benching in favor of Philip Rivers.

Now back with the Patriots, Brissett will have the opportunity to prove himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL once again. With a revamped receiving corps that includes tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, as well as wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, Brissett will have plenty of weapons at his disposal.

Head coach Bill Belichick has expressed confidence in Brissett’s abilities, praising his work ethic and leadership both on and off the field. Belichick believes that Brissett has matured as a player since his first stint with the team and is ready to take on the challenge of leading the Patriots back to playoff contention.

While there may be some skepticism surrounding Brissett’s ability to fill the shoes of a future Hall of Famer like Brady, he has shown flashes of potential throughout his career. With a strong supporting cast and the backing of his coaching staff, Brissett has the opportunity to prove that he is more than capable of leading the Patriots to success in the upcoming season.