Who is Bailey Zappe? Meet former Western Kentucky star playing QB for the New England Patriots
With current starting quarterback Mac Jones out with a high ankle sprain and season-opening backup Brian Hoyer out with a concussion, the New England Patriots turned to third-string quarterback Bailey Zappe on Sunday.
A former star for one season at Western Kentucky University who started his college career in the FCS ranks, the 24-year-old rookie threw one touchdown pass in his first official NFL start last weekend, a 29-0 win over the Detroit Lions.
No timetable for the return of Jones or Hoyer has been given by the team.
Time will tell if Zappe remains in the starting role. But for now, the former Hilltopper will savor his time under center.
Here's a quick look at how Zappe ended up in New England.
Bailey Zappe:Western Kentucky QB breaks Joe Burrow's NCAA record for TD passes in a season
Bailey Zappe broke records at WKU
Zappe boosted his draft stock in his final college season, lighting up the scoreboard for WKU in 2021.
The quarterback broke FBS records in his lone year with the Hilltoppers. In 14 games, he threw for 5,967 yards, breaking the former record of 5,833 yards set by Texas Tech’s B.J. Symons in 2003, and also passed for 62 touchdowns, which broke former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow's 2019 record of 60 scores.
Zappe lit up the scoreboard in his first start for WKU, with 424 yards and seven touchdowns in a 59-21 win over UT-Martin, and he didn't slow down. He threw for 422 yards and six scores in the Boca Raton Bowl to finish the season with a 59-38 win over Appalachian State. The 97 combined points in that game set a new Boca Raton Bowl record as well.
Bailey Zappe's high school career and Houston Baptist
Zappe's football career didn't begin in the Bluegrass State, though.
A native of Victoria, Texas, Zappe attended Victoria East High School. In his senior season, he passed for 3,770 yards and 37 touchdowns, while rushing for 633 yards and scoring 15 TDs. Zappe was never heavily recruited, though, and committed to Houston Baptist University, the lone school to extend a scholarship offer.
He started nine games in his first year at Houston Baptist, passing for 1,548 yards with five TDs and 10 interceptions while rushing for two more TDs. As a senior, he passed for 1,833 yards and 15 TDs against one interception in four games in a shortened season after the Southland Conference fall season was canceled due to COVID-19. Zappe entered the transfer portal after that season and moved on to WKU.
Bailey Zappe transfers:Western Kentucky football adds impact transfers to 2021 signing class
2022 NFL draft and regular season for Bailey Zappe
The Patriots selected Zappe in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the 137th overall pick. He was named the third-string quarterback for the 2022 season behind Jones, the starter, and Hoyer, the team's veteran second-string backup.
When Jones was injured and deemed inactive ahead of Week 4, Zappe was promoted to backup quarterback behind Hoyer. Zappe would make his NFL debut in that game, though, after Hoyer was injured in the first quarter. He completed 10 of his 15 pass attempts for 99 yards and a touchdown in the 27-24 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers. He was the first rookie to throw a TD pass during the season.
Zappe made his starting debut the following Sunday in Week 5 against the Lions.