Drake Maye reveals where he's grown most during trying Patriots rookie season
01/02/2025 01:42 AM
After a surprisingly good run playing on the worst team in the NFL, Drake Maye’s rookie season is almost over, and depending on the condition of his right hand, he may not even play in the contest.
Have things gone as the pride of UNC planned? From a statistical standpoint, that’s debatable, as he has played pretty well for the Pats, completing 225 of his 337 of his passes for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions over 12 games. But in the win-loss collum? Nope, they really have not, with Maye having just two wins over 12 appearances.
Discussing his rookie season with Patriots media, Maye was asked what he felt he improved on most during his rookie season and let it be known that, for him, it’s a hard question to answer. Why? Because football is a game of incremental growth, instead of huge steps.
“I think that’s tough. I think that’s a tough question. I think it’s hard to gauge myself. I think I’m just trying to attack each and every day, try to improve little things here and there throughout games, try to still protect the football better,” Maye told reporters. “I think that’s something I need to improve on. What I would improve on, I think just playing the role as quarterback, being a quarterback in the National Football League. I’ve learned a lot from Jacoby [Brissett]. He’s been a huge help with studying the call sheet, studying how to prepare, how to handle guys in the locker room, how to handle a huddle and how to have a kind of voice and command. Shoot, even when I’m up here in the media, don’t sound timid or shy. I think I’ve kind of grown into that, and that’s been my personality, but I think it kind of took a while for it to come out.”
Asked if he feels as though he’s taken steps forward as a member of the Patriots over the course of his rookie season, not making the same mistakes twice when he should have taken a step forward, Maye hoped that was the case. Then again, he doesn’t necessarily believe that to be the case, as he knows that improving isn’t as easy as flipping a switch.
“Yeah, I’d like to say that I haven’t made the same mistake twice, but I think there’s definitely times where if you bring up the clip, hold the clicker the last time and say, ‘Hey, this is the same thing twice in a row.’ So, I’ve definitely felt like I’ve improved in certain areas of trying not to take sacks, trying to get in field goal range, trying to protect the ball and not try to throw it into tight coverage or endangered coverage,” Maye explained.
“But at the same time, I think there’s always ways to look back. I think watching film after the season and watch all my sacks or watch all my interceptions and can see, ‘Hey, with this look or this scenario, just sometimes throwing it away, throwing it out of bounds or throwing a check down could be better.'”
What should fans expect from Maye in Year 2? Well, with a better supporting case, who knows, maybe the Patriots will take a step forward alongside their QB if he can continue to improve.
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