Bailey Zappe never thought the New England Patriots would draft him in the fourth-round of the 2022 NFL draft just like he never thought he’d be starting under center in his first year.
The moral of this story is that life can take unexpectedly positive turns when you work hard and put yourself in a position to capitalize on opportunities. Such has been the case for Zappe, who has led a flailing Patriots team back to life with two straight wins.
NFL Films posted an emotional video on social media capturing the moment Zappe learned he was being drafted by the Patriots.
Getting drafted by the @Patriots was a dream come true for @baileyzappe04.
Now he's 2-0 in his first 2 starts 🙌pic.twitter.com/6IKaygsFlv
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) October 17, 2022
Fast forward several months later, he’s 2-0 as a starter and nose-deep in a burgeoning quarterback controversy involving Mac Jones.
There’s no question that Zappe is the backup once Jones is healthy enough to play, but if the veteran signal-caller continues his turnover-prone ways, the Patriots could turn back to the unflappable rookie to help calm the team during the storm.
Zappe may not be in the same room as Jones, but he’s definitely knocking on the door.