Patriots coach non-committal on starting QB after Brissett pulled and Maye makes NFL debut

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Jacoby Brissett got hit, harassed and frustrated all night by the New York Jets' swarming defense.

Then the Patriots' veteran quarterback was pulled in favor of rookie Drake Maye, who made his NFL debut late in a lackluster 24-3 loss Thursday night.

It all left some uncertainty about who'll be under center for New England moving forward.

“I don’t know,” coach Jerod Mayo said. “We talk every single week that you’re competing for a job. We’ll get together as a coaching staff and see where it goes.”

The Patriots (1-2) could stick with the 31-year-old Brissett, who's looked at as mostly as a placeholder for Maye. Or New England could get the No. 3 overall pick on the field to start a bit sooner than expected. The Patriots play at San Francisco next Sunday.

“I don’t make personnel decisions,” Brissett said. “My job is to go out there and get ready to play.”

When asked what he thought about Mayo saying he was unsure whether he might make a quarterback change, Brissett refused to fuel any speculation.

“I’m not going to overreact to something I didn’t hear,” he said. “He told me he was going in. I’m not going to argue.”

Brissett was 12 of 18 for just 98 yards and sacked five times before being pulled with 4:24 left in the game.

“I’m a big man. I can take it,” Brissett said of all the hits he took. “I always get back up. Finding ways to make plays, that’s what it comes down to. It’s football. You’re supposed to get hit. You don’t sign up for this sport to not get hit.”

Maye came in and moved the Patriots' offense down the field during their final drive. The former North Carolina star went 4 for 8 for 22 yards and was sacked twice, with the last one ending the game.

“I thought it was a good opportunity for him to go out there with the (first-team offense) and put a few drives together,” Mayo said. “We’ll watch the film and evaluate.”

Another thing for Mayo to consider is the state of the Patriots' banged-up offensive line.

Starting left tackle Vederian Lowe (knee) and left guard Sidy Sow (ankle) didn't play after both were ruled out earlier in the week. Center David Andrews (hip) and right tackle Mike Onwenu (wrist) played after being listed as questionable.

Against the Jets, left tackle Caedan Wallace — starting for Lowe — and left guard Michael Jordan — starting for Sow — didn't finish the game after being injured in the fourth quarter.

“I thought the offensive line today had a hard time,” Mayo said. “There were times early in the game when the pockets looked pretty clean. As the game went on, similar to last week (against Seattle), it started falling apart as far as the protection.”

New England was manhandled by the New York defense, and then Aaron Rodgers sliced through the Patriots for long drives throughout the night.

New York finished with 400 yards to New England’s 139 and had 27 first downs to the Patriots’ 11.

“It was bad. Bad in all phases,” Andrews said. “We didn’t play like how we wanted to play. They dictated what we wanted to do. Hats off to them. They had a good plan and played a lot better than we did tonight.”

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New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) reacts after sacking New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) is sacked by New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (95) and defensive end Will McDonald IV (99) during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) passes under pressure from the New York Jets during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A judge in a rural Kentucky county was shot and killed in his courthouse chambers Thursday, and the local sheriff was charged with murder in the slaying, police said.

The preliminary investigation indicates Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines shot District Judge Kevin Mullins multiple times following an argument inside the courthouse, according to Kentucky State Police. Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died at the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident.

The fatal shooting in Whitesburg sent shock waves through a tight-knit Appalachian town and county seat of government with about 1,700 residents located about 145 miles (235 kilometers) southeast of Lexington.

Lead county prosecutor Matt Butler described an outpouring of sympathy as he recused himself and his office from investigations in the shooting, citing social and family ties to Mullins.

“We all know each other here. ... Anyone from Letcher County would tell you that Judge Mullins and I married sisters and that we have children who are first cousins but act like siblings," Butler said in statement from his office. “For that reason, among others, I have already taken steps to recuse myself and my entire office.”

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said his office will collaborate with a commonwealth’s attorney in the region as special prosecutors in the criminal case.

“We will fully investigate and pursue justice,” Coleman said on social media.

Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Laurance B. VanMeter said he was “shocked by this act of violence” and that the court system was “shaken by this news.”

Letcher County's judge-executive signed an order closing on Friday the county courthouse where the shooting took place.

Mullins, 54, was hit multiple times in the shooting, Kentucky State Police said. Stines, 43, was charged with one count of first-degree murder. The investigation is continuing, police said.

It was unclear whether Stines had an attorney. Kentucky State Police referred inquires about Stines’ legal representation Thursday to a spokesperson who did not immediately respond by email.

Responding to the shooting, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a social media post: “There is far too much violence in this world, and I pray there is a path to a better tomorrow.”

Mullins served as a district judge in Letcher County since he was appointed by former Gov. Steve Beshear in 2009 and elected the following year.

Mullins was known for promoting substance abuse treatment for people involved in the justice system and helped hundreds of residents enter inpatient residential treatment, according to a program for a drug summit he spoke at in 2022. He also helped develop a program called Addiction Recovery Care to offer peer support services in the courthouse. The program was adopted in at least 50 counties in Kentucky.

Mullins also served as a founding member of the Responsive Effort to Support Treatment in Opioid Recovery Efforts Leadership Team.

After the shooting, several area schools were briefly placed on lockdown.

This undated photo provided by Kentucky Court of Justice shows slain District Judge Kevin Mullins. (Kentucky Court of Justice via AP)