
AFC quarterback Drake Maye competes in Passing the Test during the Pro Bowl Skills Competition on Thursday in Orlando, Fla. Vera Nieuwenhuis/Associated Press
In his first interview since the end of the regular season, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye addressed the team’s coaching changes and how he plans to improve in 2025.
Maye spoke with SiriusXM this week during the Pro Bowl games in Orlando, Florida, where he participated as an alternate. The 22-year-old quarterback confirmed he has heard from Mike Vrabel since Vrabel replaced Jerod Mayo as the Patriots’ head coach.
“(Vrabel) reached out to me, we got on the phone. He’s been awesome,” Maye said. “Obviously a guy who has done it, played in the league, won a Super Bowl; you have a respect of what he’s done and seen what he’s done. I think the biggest thing is he’s been a head coach, and he knows what it’s like. So (I’m) excited to get up to New England and get things going.”
Vrabel spent this week at the Senior Bowl, an annual showcase for college prospects in Mobile, Alabama, where he was joined by front-office executives Eliot Wolf, Ryan Cowden and Matt Groh.
In the coming weeks and months, Maye will work closely with Vrabel and Josh McDaniels, his second offensive coordinator in as many NFL seasons. McDaniels was among Vrabel’s first hires, and is expected to re-install a version of the offense he ran in New England during his two prior stints as offensive coordinator from 2012-21 and 2006-08. Maye said he’s eager to dive into the team’s archives and learn McDaniels’ system.
“Coach McDaniels, obviously what he’s done and the success he’s had, I’m fortunate to be able to have a guy come in who has done it at a high level and learn from him coaching one of the best ever — the best ever in my opinion, Tom (Brady),” Maye said.
“So I have a great chance to go back (into) all those years of film he has in the little database; it’s all their play-calls, all Coach McDaniels’ stuff and what he did with Tom. So it’s fortunate for me to go back and study it up and get ready for this next season.”
As a rookie, Maye completed 66.6% of his passes for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 13 games. Looking ahead, he identified two areas of personal growth he’s planning to emphasize this offseason.
“Playing my position, you have to be in tune in every situation. It’s on you,” he said. “Those guys are looking at you — the other 10 guys on the field — it’s your job to get things going and get things on the right page. So, I think situational football and just continuing to grow as a leader.”
Earlier this month, Vrabel raved about Maye’s ability in an interview with ESPN, indicating he’s as eager to work with the young quarterback as Maye now sounds with him.
“I think (Maye)’s young, talented, willing to learn. I think there’s a toughness to him. There’s an amazing skill set in which to mold and to have him lead our football team and lead our offense,” Vrabel told ESPN. “There’s arm talent. There’s athleticism. Certainly, we have to be great around him and we’re going to continue to push him as much as he lets us.”
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