Quarterback Jarrett Stidham was tossed directly into the lion’s den of New England sports in March when Tom Brady left the Patriots and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Formerly the backup QB behind Brady, he suddenly became the team’s starter, tasked with filling the shoes of a Patriots legend (and one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time). That’s a tall order, and Stidham could easily let the pressure get to him.
One of Stidham’s college coaches doesn’t think that will happen, though. Gus Malzahn, who coached Stidham at Auburn in 2017 and 2018 before he declared for the 2019 draft, told ESPN that he’s confident the young QB is set up to succeed and ready for whatever he’ll face.