Patriots QB Bailey Zappe reflects on worst moment of football career after game-winning drive

Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe reached out to the right person at the lowest point of his football career.

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, who was doing color commentary on the Patriots’ 26-23 win over the Broncos for NFL Network on Christmas Eve said Sunday night that Zappe had texted him earlier this season.

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“Did you ever have those times where you wondered if you belonged in the league?” Zappe asked Warner.

Zappe had been cut by the Patriots at the end of the summer after struggling in training camp and the preseason. It took 12 weeks for Zappe to beat out Mac Jones for the Patriots’ starting quarterback job, and now he’s 2-2 after Sunday’s win.

During their production meeting this week, Zappe told Warner, “I’m in a better spot right now.”

Warner’s story is well-told, but he went undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 1994 and played in the Arena Football League before getting an opportunity with the then-St. Louis Rams in 1998. The next season, Warner took over as starter and went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV.

Zappe reflected on that exchange with Warner after the game.

“That was right after I got cut. At that point in time, that was the worst thing I’ve ever had happen to me in my football career,” Zappe said. “Me and him have built a relationship at the combine and everything to where I texted him because I know he’s been through a lot. It hasn’t been a very easy career for him coming into the league. He had to do a lot of things and overcome a lot of adversity. I just reached out to him and picked his brain about it. I’m glad I have someone like that outside of course my coaches that I go to that I can pick their brain.”

Zappe has led the Patriots to two of their four wins in just four starts. The Patriots beat the Steelers on the road in Pittsburgh with Zappe under center and in Denver on Sunday night.

“It’s part of it. You learn. I understand it,” Zappe said of being cut in August. “Back then, the decision was made, I respect it and everything, but if I had a time machine, of course I’d go back and change everything, but you don’t, so now we’re here. I’m going to be where my feet are and enjoy this win and enjoy the game-winning kick Chad (Ryland) made.”

This was Zappe’s first game-winning drive of his NFL career. He was 25-of-33 for 256 yards with two touchdowns. It was all uphill after he was strip-sacked on the Patriots’ very first offensive play of the game.

It’s unclear what Zappe’s career holds in New England or the NFL, but he has proven over the last four weeks that he does belong in the league.

The Patriots have two more games this season against the Bills and Jets.

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