Patriots QB Report: How Did Tommy DeVito, Behren Morton Perform in Preseason Tie?

FOXBORO --- The New England Patriots fans have gotten used to seeing Drake Maye trot out onto the field as the starting quarterback. In the team's 13-13 tie with the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason opener, fans in attendance watched his backups.

Both Tommy DeVito and Behren Morton got significant reps in their first game action of the year. Both of them got a half each, with DeVito bowing out as the third quarter began to give way for the Texas Tech rookie.

"It's good work," head coach Mike Vrabel said postgame on what he took away from Tuesday's joint practice and the preseason result. "Hopefully everybody came out as clean as possible. ... I felt like it was good to work with them and try to have a productive game."

It's clear that DeVito and Morton won't be a threat to Maye's job security any time soon. Each of the quarterbacks wish they had some plays back, but ultimately it wasn't the end of the world for the Patriots as they work through their backup options under center.

Tommy DeVito: 13/22, 138 Passing Yards, 1 TD

DeVito, who had been slinging it in training camp practices all summer, earned the starting nod. He started the game slow, opening up with three incompletions in his first five pass attempts. But he eventually settled in, hitting Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III and Eli Raridon on some chunk plays.

The big throw -- a 12-yard touchdown strike to Williams in the second quarter -- gave the Patriots their only touchdown of the night. It was a perfectly-placed back shoulder throw at the front pylon of the south end zone.

"I think just stuff is going to click," DeVito said postgame, admitting that the juices were flowing to open up the night. "Once you get into that flow and then start feeling it and the guys around you are playing, it just becomes easy at that point."

Aug 13, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tommy DeVito (16) throws a pass during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I thought there may be a couple balls that he'd like to have back, but I thought that there was good operation. I thought there was good placement," Vrabel said. "I thought for the most part, he was fairly accurate and the ball came out on time."

DeVito's night ended with a final drive to close the first half, one that looked like it was going to end with points. He hit Williams outside the numbers for 25 yards, but a low throw to Tejhaun Palmer eventually ended that drive.

"The ball was moving down the field. But like I said, just did not start off hot enough," DeVito said. "And I think that a lot of the penalties and little mistakes here and there, they just need to get nipped in the bud early because it just kills drives."

Behren Morton: 7/13, 66 Yards, 1 Rush Yard

Unlike DeVito, this was the first time Morton played on an NFL field. It was a big moment for the Patriots' seventh-string rookie, who didn't get the start, but came on to close out the night.

"You’re playing at such a legendary place, and so it was really cool to be there in that atmosphere," Morton said.

His performance wasn't the greatest by any stretch. There were a couple throws that sailed on him and the offense mustered just thre points once he entered the game. Still, it was a night of learning for Morton that his head coach appreciated.

Aug 13, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Behren Morton (15) throws a pass during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I think a lot of this is composure," Vrabel said. "It's the, you know, making sure that everybody's on the same page in a huddle, right? ... There's a big responsibility."

There was a chance for Morton to lead the Patriots to victory in the final seconds. Tied at 13 with more than a minute to go, the offense got some momentum following a pair of Kobe Prentice receptions and a 15-yard personal foul that pushed the Patriots into Colts territory.

It didn't happen, as the Patriots ran the ball twice before kicker Andy Borregales missed a 49-yard field goal (his third miss of the night) and ended the game with a tie score.

"We should’ve pushed the ball further down the field for Andy," Morton said. "But proud of the way that we responded. We got pretty sluggish in the third, sluggish in the fourth and finished off the fourth better."

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