GREEN BAY, Wis. — Tom Brady got his big chance with the New England Patriots when Drew Bledsoe went out with an injury in 2001. We know how that story turned out.
On Sunday, another Patriots' quarterback -- Bailey Zappe -- saw his first NFL action because of an injury to second-stringer Brian Hoyer in the first quarter of New England's game against Green Bay.
Hoyer got the start because Patriots' starter Mac Jones was ruled out of the game with a high ankle sprain.
Zappe, who is from Texas, played most of his college football career in Houston for Houston Baptist University, which has since changed its name to Houston Christian University.
Zappe was born in Victoria, Texas, and played for HBU from 2017 until 2020, when he entered the transfer portal and ended up at Western Kentucky.
While at Western Kentucky, he earned Conference USA Most Valuable Player honors and was All-CUSA first team. He was Offensive Player of the Week four times.
In his last season at Western Kentucky, he was 475-for-686 for 5,987 yards with 62 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. That year, he led the Hilltoppers to a 59-38 RoofClaim.com Baca Raton Bowl win over App State. With 422 yards in that game, Zappe set a new single-season FBS record.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound quarterback was drafted in the fourth round by the Patriots.
Only time will tell if the Bailey Zappe story turns out as Tom Brady's did. But they do have a similar beginning.
