Ever since Tom Brady left the New England Patriots, the once-dominant franchise has been struggling. They haven’t even found a proper replacement for the face of the franchise. A recent Patriots retiree might just know the reason for all the chaos. And that might be a split in the team’s locker room due to questions over the Brady replacement.

Safety Devin McCourty hung up his cleats at the end of a disappointing 2022 season for the Patriots. And he underlined the rift that might have caused all the problems for the team.

Rift over Tom Brady’s replacement 

Players like Tom Brady cannot be easily replaced. The Patriots might have understood that the hard way by now. In fact, it’s such a tall order that it might have actually caused a split in the Patriots’ dressing room. Former safety Devin McCourty, who saw everything unfold before his eyes, certainly believes so.

“I think there were some guys in the locker room that were like ‘Let’s go with Zappe.’ Or ‘No, Mac looked good today.’ It was just a back and forth, which to me, spoke more about what we had on offense than the quarterback. We never were solidified as an offensive group that guys had full confidence in anything we were doing. There was never true hope,” McCourty said via ESPN.

Trending

“Very Disturbing”: Ex Wife Pilar Sanders Reprimands Coach Prime for “Stupid” Take on Shelomi’s Transfer Portal Decision

April 26, 2024 12:28 PM EDT

Deion Sanders’ Ex-GF Tracey Edmonds Gushes Over Caleb Williams as He Gets Drafted in Bears

April 26, 2024 05:23 AM EDT

“You Weren’t There”: Pilar Sanders Minces No Word to Call Out Coach Prime for Inadequately Supporting Shelomi’s Career

April 26, 2024 02:17 PM EDT

Before Attending Patrick Mahomes’ Foundation Gala, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Joined Brittany and Hubby at the Las Vegas Hot Spot

April 28, 2024 06:26 AM EDT

Russell Wilson’s Pittsburgh Arrival Followed up by More Good News for Steelers Fans Via Commissioner Goodell

April 26, 2024 11:26 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NFL stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Some in the team wanted 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones to be their starting QB. Others favored the 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe to get that job. And according to McCourty, that undid much of the hard work that the team has done. Of course, replacing Brady is next to impossible. But rallying behind a single starter might be the first required step on the journey.

Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe?

Mac Jones is the starter for the Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick. He stuck by him, even as their season crumbled to dust around them. While the young QB did show some promise in his rookie season in 2021, he seemed a bit regressed in the last campaign.

“Guy That Comes In After Tom Brady”: Buccaneers Celebrating Baker Mayfield as TB12’s Replacement Irks Fans Amidst $8.5 Million Big Issue

Jones played 14 games for his team but could win only six of them. He threw a shade under 3000 passing yards in the season with 2,997 yards. The QB also threw 14 touchdown passes and as many as 11 interceptions. All-in-all, a terrible campaign from the QB of great potential.

Bailey Zappe won two games out of the three he started. He threw a total of 781 passing yards and five touchdown passes. Not bad for a fourth-string QB.

The debate about who should start in the 2023 season for the Patriots is still on. But who will actually get the job is still unclear. Will whoever gets the starting job be able to fill the boots of a QB who won seven Super Bowl titles, including six with the Patriots?