The New England Patriots kick-start their 2024 preseason with a head-to-head clash with the visiting Carolina Panthers on Thursday night.
This will be the first Patriots game in 24 years without Bill Belichick standing on the sideline as the head coach. It's only an exhibition matchup, but the optics are historical for first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, who will finally step from the shadows of the greatest coach of all time.
This will be his first opportunity to lead the team in a game setting. Aside from Mayo's big coaching debut, the other major storyline entering this matchup is the NFL debut of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.