Patriots officially name team captains for 2024 season
The New England Patriots captains have officially been named for the 2024 season, including two new names.
Patriots captains are official for the 2024 season.
New England officially announced team captains on X Monday afternoon, and head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed it during his first press conference of Week 1 of the 2024 regular season. The captains were voted on by Patriots players, rather than coaches or anyone else in the organization. Mayo also specified that Patriots captains this season will wear a “C” on their uniforms.
“I do think it’s like a badge of honor,” Mayo said. “I think when guys do the right thing, they should be recognized for those things. Something as small as just having a captain’s patch, I think it’s important for those guys.”
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There are a number of familiar faces among the Patriots’ team captains for 2024, but also three new additions, and one or two that may have been relatively unexpected. Here’s a quick rundown of the full list…
QB Jacoby Brissett
Mayo recently named Brissett the Patriots’ starting quarterback to begin the 2024 season. Brissett, 31, has long been considered a strong leader off the field wherever he’s played, and as the quarterback of the team, it’s no surprise that he’s a team captain on top of that.
In a peculiar press conference moment, Mayo forgot to mention Brissett among the team captains and had to correct himself. Hopefully, his commitment to Brissett as the starting quarterback is as strong as it is from his teammates, and Brissett can stay on the field for as long as rookie Drake Maye needs before he’s ready to play.
C David Andrews
The elder statesman of the Patriots’ team captain circle, Andrews is in his eighth season leading the team, and this will be his first with an actual “C” on the jersey. Andrews is entrenched as the Patriots’ starting center, and as long as he’s in there, the Pats’ problems with snapping the ball from over the summer should go away. The question is when he finally starts snapping the ball to Maye.
LB Ja’Whaun Bentley
Bentley is in his seventh NFL season, all with the Patriots, and in his fourth as a team captain. He is the unquestioned leader of the Pats’ linebacking corps, especially with Matthew Judon out of town via trade. Bentley had a strong camp and should be an asset defending against the run. Off the field, he’ll continue to be one of the team’s strongest locker room and meeting room presences.
S Jabrill Peppers
In 2023, Peppers emerged as not just one of the Patriots’ strongest defensive talents, but one of their strongest leadership presences as well. It’s no surprise that he’s been rewarded for his work in becoming a cornerstone of the roster in two short seasons.
DE Deatrich Wise Jr.
One of the longest tenured Patriots defenders, Wise is entering his eighth NFL season and now his third as a team captain. Wise, 30, will be counted on to provide pass-rushing production in the wake of trading Judon. He’s also long been one of the Patriots’ hardest workers, setting a fine example for new/young players entering the building.
LS Joe Cardona
Cardona takes over as the Patriots’ special teams captain after the retirement of Matthew Slater. Cardona is the longest-tenured Patriot, entering his 10th NFL season as their primary long snapper. The Patriots’ special teams units looked solid in the preseason under new coordinator Jeremy Springer, and Cardona will be leaned on to long-snap cleanly and also provide veteran leadership off the field.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
