Quarterback Brian Hoyer was ruled out with a head injury after being hit during the first quarter of the Patriots game versus the Packers on Sunday.
[Bailey Zappe](https://www.nfl.com/players/bailey-zappe/), a rookie out of Western Kentucky, replaced Hoyer at quarterback. [Mac Jones](https://www.nfl.com/players/mac-jones/) was sidelined with an ankle injury suffered late during the Patriots' [Week 3 loss](https://www.nfl.com/games/ravens-at-patriots-2022-reg-3) to the Ravens. [Brian Hoyer](https://www.nfl.com/players/brian-hoyer/) was ruled out with a head injury after being hit during the Patriots' eventual [27-24 overtime loss](https://www.nfl.com/games/patriots-at-packers-2022-reg-4) the Packers on Sunday.
The Patriots are down to their third-string quarterback. With starter Mac Jones out because of a high-ankle sprain suffered last week, Brian Hoyer got the ...
But Hoyer was injured on a sack in the first quarter and walked to the locker room, and now rookie [Bailey Zappe](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/67565/bailey-zappe) is in at quarterback. Zappe is a fourth-round draft pick out of Western Kentucky who was the Most Valuable Player in Conference-USA last season. [Mac Jones](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/62961/mac-jones) out because of a high-ankle sprain suffered last week, [Brian Hoyer](https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/football/nfl/player/9877/brian-hoyer) got the start for New England today.
The Patriots are relying on their third-string quarterback Bailey Zappe after Brian Hoyer left the team's Week 4 contest with a head injury.
The Patriots selected Zappe and seemed to eye him as a long-term backup and insurance policy behind Jones. The Patriots can take time to develop him. They confirmed that by signing him to a two-year contract extension on eve of free agency, meaning he will be with the team through 2023. While there were some questions about his overall arm strength and how long it would take him to transition to a pro-style offense, he did enough to establish himself as a mid-round prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. Zappe was prolific during his lone year with the Hilltoppers. He lasted just one quarter before exiting the game with a head injury.
Zappe's 25-yard touchdown pass to DeVante Parker was the first one thrown by a rookie this season.
His emotion came out after the touchdown pass, with veteran tight end It was the first touchdown pass thrown by a rookie in the NFL this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research, although the Patriots appeared to catch a break when officials didn't penalize them for delay of game. [Brian Hoyer](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/12477/brian-hoyer) started the game in place of injured [Mac Jones](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4241464/mac-jones) (ankle) but was [knocked out on the final play of the second offensive series](/nfl/story/_/id/34713456/new-england-patriots-another-qb-brian-hoyer-leaves-head-injury-bailey-zappe-comes-green-bay-packers) due to a head injury.
Zappe, 23, was drafted by New England in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft at No. 137 overall.
Zappe, 23, was drafted by New England in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft at No. [Patriots](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/patriots/) entered Sunday’s game against the [Packers](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/packers/) [without No. Backup [Brian Hoyer](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/brian-hoyer-PdkASmTtkOPjKFVj/) got the nod in Jones’ place, [but exited the game early in the first quarter](https://theathletic.com/3649959/2022/10/02/patriots-brian-hoyer-injury-bailey-zappe/) after being sacked by Green Bay’s Rashan Gary.
New England Patriots backup quarterback Bailey Zappe is making his NFL debut with Brian Hoyer leaving the field with a head injury.
Mason Crosby made a 31-yard field goal as time expired in overtime, and the Green Bay Packers topped New England 27-24 to spoil Patriots rookie quarterback ...
After a brief visit to the medical tent on the sidelines, Hoyer departed for the locker room to be evaluated for a head injury, leaving rookie third-stringer ...
He spent his first four college seasons at Houston Baptist before transferring and breaking out with a record 5,967 passing yards and 61 touchdowns in his first and only year with the Hilltoppers. Just seven throws into his first 2022 start as Jones' replacement, the 36-year-old quarterback was forced out of action in the first quarter of Sunday's game after absorbing a big hit on a sack from Green Bay pass rusher [Rashan Gary](/nfl/players/2260648/rashan-gary/). Now his backup, [Brian Hoyer](/nfl/players/517243/brian-hoyer/), is also sidelined.
New England Patriots rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe entered the season listed at No. 3 on the depth chart but found himself in the heat of the action in ...
However, considering all of the external factors working against him, the 23-year-old Zappe created a solid foundation to build from moving forward. Going on the road to Green Bay without Jones and winning was always a daunting task, but Zappe surprisingly gave New England a shot. Just two years removed from playing his home games at a Houston Baptist stadium that held 5,000 people and was located across from a CVS, he was taking snaps at Lambeau Field.
The Patriots showed plenty of fight in Green Bay, but couldn't convert on a short field in overtime.
It was the fourth time this season the Patriots have scored on their opening possession. He turned it on in the second half, and though the Patriots stopped him to open overtime, they couldn’t do it a second time. In overtime he ripped off another 20-yarder to set the offense up at midfield, but they couldn’t capitalize on it. With Marcus Cannon looking good as New England’s sixth lineman, they opted to play him in Wynn’s place in the second half. After Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs caught a bubble screen, Jones punched the ball out and recovered it to give New England the ball in Green Bay territory. Isaiah Wynn missed a block, the quarterback was crunched, and didn’t return due to a head injury. It was a big play right out the chute. Thanks to the pick-six, the Patriots took an improbable 10-7 lead into halftime. Bill Belichick had the future Hall of Famer’s head spinning in the first half, and he made some unforced errors, like throwing a pick-six to Jack Jones (more on him in a moment). Zappe managed to play mostly mistake-free football and shepherded the offense well enough to play more than 60 minutes. Opposite them was reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers, who has made a career out of winning track meets, and the Patriots were on the road in front of a hostile Green Bay crowd. Undeterred, they pushed the hosts to overtime, but ultimately let an improbable upset slip though their fingers.