Over the course of a professional career that spans nearly a decade, Jacoby Brissett has established a unique and resilient profile within the National Football League. Drafted in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of North Carolina State by the New England Patriots, Brissett has traversed a winding path that has seen him play for six different franchises over six consecutive seasons, frequently stepping into high-pressure backup roles, bridge starter assignments, and caretaker duties for teams navigating injuries, suspensions, or transitional phases at the quarterback position.
Brissett’s entry into the league during the 2016 season was marked by unexpected baptism by fire in New England. With starting quarterback Tom Brady set to sit out the first four games of the regular season due to a suspension, and backup Jimmy Garoppolo subsequently sidelined with an injury, Brissett was thrust into active duty. The rookie signal-caller made three appearances, including two starts, completing 34 of 55 pass attempts for 400 yards, while adding 16 carries for 83 yards and a rushing touchdown. Though he did not throw a touchdown pass or an interception during that brief stint, the experience proved invaluable for the 23-year-old. Brissett ultimately missed time later that autumn after undergoing surgery on his right thumb in October, but he was activated off injured reserve by the Patriots in December to resume his depth duties. With Garoppolo and Brady both available for the 2017 campaign, Brissett remained the team’s third-string option as the organization continued to groom the young quarterback with an eye toward a future that eventually saw him depart via trade.
That departure led Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts in late August 2017, following the abrupt and stunning retirement of franchise cornerstone Andrew Luck. Thrust into the starting role just ahead of the season opener, Brissett put together a gritty campaign under difficult circumstances. Operating a run-first offense with limited playmakers, Brissett was sacked a league-high 52 times and saw his pass attempts limited to 29.3 per game—the fewest of any quarterback with at least 13 starts that year. Despite those constraints, he demonstrated remarkable poise, throwing only seven interceptions to finish with the sixth-best interception percentage in the league at 1.5 percent. He also added a dynamic dimension on the ground, averaging nearly 17 rushing yards per game and scoring four touchdowns.
Brissett’s tenure in Indianapolis extended through the 2020 season, bridging the gap before and after Luck’s departure. During the 2019 campaign, installed firmly as the starter, Brissett completed 272 of 447 passes for 2,942 yards, a respectable 18-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and added 56 rushing attempts for 228 yards and four scores across 15 games. Following a 7-9 season, however, the Colts pivoted by bringing in veteran quarterback Philip Rivers for the 2020 season, relegating Brissett to a backup role. Entering the second year of a two-year, $30 million contract, Brissett became one of the highest-paid primary backups in the NFL. Head coach Frank Reich noted that the team intended to utilize Brissett’s mobility by deploying him for a handful of snaps per game in short-yardage and specialized packages to complement Rivers, much like how he was utilized during previous phases of his career.
Following his four-year stint with the Colts, Brissett embarked on a nomadic phase of his career, signing with the Miami Dolphins ahead of the 2021 season to serve as the primary backup to Tua Tagovailoa. In addition to mentoring the young starter and providing an emergency option under center, Brissett’s rushing capability again allowed him to see the field in situational short-yardage packages.
By the following year, Brissett found himself in Cleveland, where he was tasked with keeping the seat warm for the Browns while starter Deshaun Watson served an 11-game suspension to begin the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Operating as the opening-day starter, Brissett held his own in a caretaker role, finishing near the middle of the pack in most conventional passing statistics despite notable struggles on deep throws. While he looked downfield frequently—ranking seventh through Week 12 with an 8.5-yard average target depth and sixth with 47 attempts of 20 yards or more—his on-target percentage ranked 22nd at 42.6 percent, and he tossed four interceptions on deep attempts, tying for the third-most in the league. When he played, his primary mandate was to manage the game effectively for an offense anchored by running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, though his overall efficiency numbers, including a 70.0 percent on-target rate across 11 games, reflected the limitations of the passing attack.
Seeking his next opportunity, Brissett signed with the Washington Commanders ahead of the following season, entering training camp as the backup to young quarterback Sam Howell. Washington hoped that Howell, whose only prior start had come in Week 18 of the previous season, would seize the job. Although Brissett missed a golden opportunity to claim the starting job when he suffered a hamstring injury the very week the coaching staff grew impatient with Howell’s struggles, he remained a respected veteran presence. Had he taken over the starting assignment, he would have operated alongside a formidable trio of wide receivers led by Terry McLaurin, offering enough baseline accuracy to maintain fantasy relevance in multi-quarterback formats if surrounded by adequate talent.
Brissett’s career trajectory then brought him full circle back to the franchise that originally drafted him. Returning to New England ahead of the 2024 season, Brissett entered training camp in direct competition with rookie Drake Maye, the third overall pick in the draft. With Maye requiring time to refine his mechanics and footwork, and a patient Patriots front office willing to ease their young prospect into the professional ranks, Brissett began the season under center.
However, the environment in New England presented significant offensive challenges. Operating behind an evolving offense with Kendrick Bourne returning from an ACL injury as the nominal No. 1 wide receiver and tight end Hunter Henry serving as a primary target, Brissett found room to operate difficult to come by. Across eight appearances, including five starts with the Patriots in 2024, Brissett continued his career-long trend of avoiding careless turnovers by throwing just one interception, but he absorbed 18 sacks and registered a low 5.1 yards per attempt average. As the season progressed, the offense ultimately turned the reins over to Maye.
Following his time in New England, Brissett’s journeyman career continued into subsequent stops, including a stint in Arizona backing up Kyler Murray. While situational spot starts may occasionally arise, Brissett’s veteran profile has solidified his reputation across the league: a trusted, highly professional caretaker capable of stabilizing an offense, mentoring younger quarterbacks, and stepping into the breach whenever called upon.
