Selecting Bailey Zappe in the fourth round was a surprise to many New England Patriots fans and NFL pundits.
Mac Jones is the quarterback of the future and the Patriots still had needs while selecting in the fourth round. Regardless, Zappe had an incredible season at Western Kentucky and he now provides the Patriots with a smart and reliable backup. In 14 games — Zappe threw for 5,967 yards, 62 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. That’s impressive for any Division I athlete.
The biggest knock against Zappe is his size and athleticism, leading to the lack of interest by NFL teams in the draft. This gave much more meaning and significance to the quarterback when he was picked by the Patriots.
Watch this heartwarming moment as Zappe receives the phone call from Bill Belichick.
Bill Belichick gave QB @baileyzappe04 a phone call he'll never forget. #HeyRookie
(via @NFLFilms) pic.twitter.com/rnwWGozBlK
— NFL (@NFL) May 6, 2022
Zappe will likely be the third option this season behind Jones and Brian Hoyer.
