Tough coaching helped Pats QB Drake Maye flourish in his second season

Drake Maye got the tough coaching he wanted and thrived.

The 23-year-old Maye is one victory away from being the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl. He is grateful to have coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in New England.

The Patriots went from 4-13 under Jerod Mayo in Maye’s rookie season to 14-3. They won their 12th AFC championship game and will seek a record seventh Super Bowl title when they face the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 8.

“Coach McDaniels and Coach Vrabel coming in, they’ve been awesome,” Maye told The Associated Press. “Two coaches that have made a huge impact on not only us as a team, but my personal play and personal life outside of football. I think one of the biggest things about them is they coach me hard, but they care about me as a person and they want the best for me. They coach me hard each and every day. And, it’s not always about football, it’s about life and leadership and things that go a long way playing my position at quarterback. And I think, from there Ashton Grant in the quarterback room, as well the quarterbacks in the room, man, we got a great group. I’m just fortunate enough to have great players around me.”

The supporting cast includes wide receiver Stefon Diggs, running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson and tight end Hunter Henry.

Selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 draft behind Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, Maye started 12 games as a rookie and was 3-9. He threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on a team that lacked talent and direction.

Vrabel, McDaniels and Grant came in and quickly unlocked his potential. Maye threw for 4,394 yards with 31 TDs and only eight picks this season, becoming a finalist for the AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards. He led the league in completion rate (72.0 percent) and passer rating (113.5), and also rushed for 450 yards and four TDs, earning second-team AP All-Pro honors.

“Having the experience from last year, I’m fortunate enough my rookie season to get some starts and play meaningful football and just understand what the league is like, what it’s about, what the defenses are like, kind of running the offense, running the show,” Maye said.

“Playing quarterback in this league at this level is tough. It takes a lot. And I think knowing that our job playing quarterback is one of the toughest jobs in sports, but also it’s one of the most rewarding. And just feeling that and translating that in my year two and learning a new offense.”

Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger won Super Bowls in their second seasons in the NFL. Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, Colin Kaepernick and Dan Marino got there and lost.

Marino is the youngest to start the game. Roethlisberger is the youngest to win it.

Maye’s only other trip to the Super Bowl also was at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. Ten years ago, he was a fan in the crowd cheering for Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Denver dominated in a 24-10 win. Fittingly, Maye became the first quarterback to lead the Patriots to a road win over the Broncos in the playoffs.

“It’s full circle,” he said. “My dad, when I was maybe in seventh grade, said if the Panthers made it, we were going to go. It was heartbreaking, they lost to the Broncos. But no, it was a good experience for a kid my age who loved football, loved quarterbacks. That was Peyton’s last game. What a Hall of Fame career he had. Pretty cool to be full circle, going back here 10 years later, and I think it’s just a special moment for this whole team.”

Maye hasn’t played his best in the playoffs. He’s completed just 55.8% of his passes for 533 yards, four TDs, two interceptions and has lost three fumbles and been sacked 15 times in three games. He’s used his legs effectively, rushing for 141 total yards and the team’s only TD in the 10-7 win over Denver on Sunday.

“That’s the great thing about Drake, his ability to extend plays and if it’s not there, gain chunks,” Vrabel said. “He’s done that most of the year. Again, we’ll have to get a lot of things corrected, and we’ll have to play our best football game in two weeks if we want to finish as champions.”

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