Report: Patriots Cut Brian Hoyer Make Jarrett Stidham Backup Quarterback

Rookie quarterback Jarrett Stidham played really well in the preseason, and head coach Bill Belichick was positively surprised. That’s why the Patriots cut Brian Hoyer in the final roster trimming.

Hoyer was a backup quarterback for Tom Brady for two seasons. He played really well early in the preseason, but Belichick didn’t put him on the field in the final two games.

Stidham relieved TB12 in the third preseason contest, and played excellent in the preseason finale. The fourth-round pick completed 18 of 28 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns with one interception against the Giants.

The Patriots were happy with Hoyer, but Stidham made them even happier.

“I love Brian Hoyer,” said Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. “Brian has been great for us. He’s great for Tom. He’s done a nice job in the preseason, obviously. Brian knows our system, knows how to operate and function within the things we do, throws the ball well and is an extremely hard worker. Really smart, great teammate and as good a leader as (any) backup quarterback that I’ve been around. … He makes the guys around him better.” 

Stidham got his rookie haircut, and Brady had a lot of fun doing it.

“When you add a young player like Jarrett, it’s good to have the youth, too, and a lot of the excitement and someone to carry our pads and give haircuts to,” Brady said Monday during an appearance on WEEI’s “Greg Hill Show.” “I think the haircut last week was one of the best things of last week, which I really enjoyed doing.” 

In the third preseason game, the rookie quarterback completed 43 of 62 passes for 506 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and a passer rating of 104.6.

“As a young player, he’s getting a lot of opportunities and a lot of reps on the practice field as well as the game field,” Brady said. “He’s doing a great job, and he’s going to keep working at it just like everyone else. We have a very healthy, competitive quarterback group. Brian has had really a great offseason, a great camp. He’s a real professional in every way. I love being in the room with Brian and what he adds to the group.” 

Stidham was a real refreshment for the game. He’s been receiving compliments since the very first moment New England noticed him.

“Stidham’s deep-ball accuracy, which stood out against the Lions, has been evident on the practice field, as well,” noted Kevin Duffy of the Boston Herald. “During an Aug. 1 session, when Stidham spent most of the morning watching behind Brady and Brian Hoyer, he stepped in for 11-on-11 drills and immediately hit Meyers and N’Keal Harry for back-to-back touchdowns down the right sideline.”