Tom Brady’s former backup Indianapolis Colts quarterback Brian Hoyer opened up about his release this past summer that ended his second stint in Foxboro.
In an interview with Greg Bedard’s Boston Sports Journal, Hoyer who is making his first start since 2017 today, said he was surprised when he was given his walking papers.
“The end with the Patriots… it is what it is,” Hoyer told Boston Sports Journal. “I didn’t think it was even a possibility (of being released). It was disappointing to me and it was kind of a shock. I know the media played it up like it was going to happen, but from the inside, I never once felt that it was going to happen.”
The last thing the Michigan State alum wanted to do was make a radical change in his family’s lives. But the opportunity for $9 million in guaranteed money as a backup, and a reunion with Jacoby Brissett was too good to pass up.
“It was something that I thought was the best option for me and my family at the time and even though you don’t want to uproot your family, I remember telling my agent, ‘I’m not going to a bad situation no matter what the money is,'” Hoyer said to Boston Sports Journal. “When the opportunity to come here, you obviously hear great things about (the organization) and knowing Jacoby a little bit helped. I knew what he was and what they thought of him. Just to come here and help him as much as I could and, as you saw this past weekend, be ready to play if something happens.”
In wake of Andrew Luck’s retirement, Brissett has guided the Colts to a 5-3 record and Hoyer said he was nothing but impressed with his former Patriot teammate.
“He’s a great teammate, a great leader, the guys respect him so much. I could tell immediately when I walked in that they loved playing for this guy, they loved playing with him,” Hoyer said. “His demeanor on the sideline has been great. Never gets too high, never gets too low … positive guy, super smart. I haven’t been shocked at all (with the Colts’ start) and obviously being there with him day in and day out, I’ve seen how great of a player and quarterback that he is.”
Hoyer helms the Colts against the Miami Dolphins today at 4:05 p.m.
