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Drake Maye's 3-day throwing session with Patriots teammates was about much more than putting in extra work
Drake Maye's 3-day throwing session with Patriots teammates was about much more than putting in extra work

CBS News

time7 hours ago

  • Sport
  • CBS News

Drake Maye's 3-day throwing session with Patriots teammates was about much more than putting in extra work

Drake Maye wants to be the best quarterback he can be for the New England Patriots. But his goals for Year 2 of his NFL career go much further than what he does between the numbers. Maye is only 22, but he's determined to become the leader of the New England Patriots. He knows it's not something that will simply be given to him because he's the quarterback, but something he has to go out and earn each and every day. It can be earned by making plays and winning games. But becoming a leader starts well before games kick off on Sundays. "I think it's something I come in there every day, work hard, play good in practice. I think that's a big part, take practice seriously," Maye said after Wednesday's first practice of training camp. "I think practice translates to the games. It's hard to get, this simulation, it's not basketball. You can't go get shots, open three-pointers. There's nothing like being in the mix of it with a lot of bullets going. So, trying to earn my stripes in practice. And then from there, just try going along and hopefully win some games. And I think that'll help." With that in mind, Maye decided to put in some extra time with his offensive weapons between the end of mandatory minicamp and the start of training camp. He coordinated a three-day throwing "camp" in North Carolina with receivers Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Kyle Williams, and Ja'Lynn Polk, tight ends Hunter Henry and Jaheim Bell, and running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and Terrell Jennings. But this was not just a way of putting in some extra work before the season. Getting the gang together for three days was Maye's way of building trust in each other and bringing the team together. In the end, uniting the team is one of the most important roles for a team leader. "You miss those guys for a month and you just want to get back, get a refresher for them, whether it's route-wise, play-wise. I think the most important thing is just bonding together," said Maye. "I think getting the guys together, going out to eat, having some fun, getting some work in. And I think I was glad that those guys, you know, came out and showed up." While there were plenty of pigskins flying over the three-day session, there was also a good amount of bonding. The group went out to dinner, played plenty of other games, and even had time for some fun on the water. It was during the trip that we got the viral moment of Maye falling back into the water while completing a pass to Stevenson on a jet ski. "I feel like we built that bond together that we needed," Douglas said after Wednesday's practice. "I feel like we're closer than ever with our room and the quarterback room." Maye and Diggs connected a few times early in Wednesday's session, which drew huge cheers from the crowd in Foxboro. Diggs was brought in to be Maye's No. 1 option this year, and is looking good as he returns from ACL surgery last season. He spoke about the pre-camp throwing session after Wednesday's practice, and said it will go a long way in building the trust between the QB and the receiver. "You want to get in as much as you can with the quarterback as a receiver. They say timing and all that, but it's more so just about trust," said Diggs. "You want to be around a guy that you can trust." Maye doesn't need any extra motivation to become a leader, but he's getting an extra push from new head coach Mike Vrabel. The quarterback spoke of their relationship Wednesday and how Vrabel is challenging him both on the field and in the locker room. "He does a great job of giving me points where I can improve, points where, 'hey, maybe do this. He's also kind of letting me go, kind of seeing where I'm at," said Maye. "I think it's kind of a challenge for me to kind of lead this football team and lead this offense." Vrabel was a team captain during his playing days in New England, so he has a unique perspective to pass along to Maye. He doesn't have much experience playing quarterback, but Vrabel's biggest message to his duel-threat QB is simple: Protect yourself and stay a passer for as long as he can during plays. "I think that's big," said Maye. "I'm kind of getting outside the pocket, remaining a passer longer, hoping for some big plays, scramble plays. I feel like I had good times last year where I had some guys deep that I may have missed them or took off running instead. So, just trying to remain a passer and just keep trying to work on footwork."

It's not Drake Maye's fault Patriots are where they are (but it's the thought that counts)
It's not Drake Maye's fault Patriots are where they are (but it's the thought that counts)

New York Times

time20 hours ago

  • Sport
  • New York Times

It's not Drake Maye's fault Patriots are where they are (but it's the thought that counts)

FOXBORO, Mass. — Drake Maye's Wednesday media availability had been lumbering along for about six minutes, with the second-year quarterback of the New England Patriots answering the usual second-rate questions. This is absolutely no knock on the people who cover the Patriots for a living. It's just that it's hard to ask deep, probing questions at the end of the first practice session of training camp, especially with horns blaring, fans cheering and the noonish sun beating down on everyone's necks. It's not unlike asking the veteran big-league pitcher about his first Grapefruit League appearance and being told, 'Just getting my work in.' Advertisement Heck, what could be more lame than bringing up Maye's first completion to newly minted Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs and then asking, 'What was that like???' It was I who asked that beauty. But it was after the media availability was over that Maye swung open the front door to his innermost football feelings and invited everyone to take a peek. All this happened just after Patriots vice president of media relations Stacey James had already said, 'Last question,' and after that last question had already been answered and Maye was now poised to exit, stage right. Enter Karen Guregian of MassLive, who started covering the Patriots in 1993 for the Boston Herald. How long ago was that? Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells were new in town and James Busch Orthwein owned the team. And the team played in a stadium with aluminum benches. That's how long ago. Maye had already made a couple of remarks attesting to his level of excitement for the 2025 Patriots, but without offering any specifics. But now, in the bonus round, he was being asked for those specifics. 'What excites me most?' Maye asked. 'I think you've got guys around here that are tired of losing around here, and guys that want to win. I think that's what excites me most. Guys want to win around here. I think the past two or three years around here and the past year for me, I can only speak for myself, but I think there's guys around here that are tired of losing and want to win.' He wasn't chuckling when he answered the question. Nor did he 'Shout It Out,' as though taking on the role of the cleaning product that's said to be tough on stains. But Maye was definitely pensive, as though this was something that had been on his mind for a while. Before continuing, it's important to restate that this is only Maye's second season with the Patriots. That the Patriots are where they are is not his fault. Yes, he was on the scene in 2024 when the Patriots, with one-and-done Jerod Mayo running the shop, went 4-13. Maye appeared in 13 games in 2024, making 12 starts. But he won only one game in which he quarterbacked the Patriots the entire game. If you want to give Maye a big slice of blame pie for 2024, conveniently leaving out that he was a rookie playing for a team with a coaching staff that was about to be dismantled, go right ahead. Advertisement But Maye wasn't around in 2023, when the Patriots went 4-13 in Bill Belichick's last season as head coach. It was also the season in which the Mac Jones era at quarterback came to an inglorious end. If Maye saw any of that Patriots season, it was probably on a flat screen from his apartment at UNC while eating a slice or two from Italian Pizzeria III. Nor was Maye on the New England scene in 2022, when the Patriots went 8-9, or in 2021 when they went 10-7 but were handed a 47-17 beating by the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. And so on. And yet here's Maye, talking about guys who are 'tired of losing around here.' Talking about guys 'that want to win,' talking about 'the past two or three years around here.' Only it certainly didn't sound like Maye was speaking for himself. If you're a Patriots fan looking for signs that this team has an interest in getting back into the winning business, Maye's comments were the biggest news to come out of the first day of training camp. Well, OK, perhaps you're the type who limits optimism to what can be gleaned from X's and O's, in which case Maye's first pass attempt to Stefon Diggs was a much bigger deal. Diggs ran a crossing route and made the catch a step ahead of his defender. Boilerplate stuff, but it was 'Maye to Diggs' for the first time, and that's what the crowd was looking for on Day 1. The Maye completion to Diggs was real football stuff. As for that close-of-business quote, it's not something you're likely to take into account while mulling the 8.5 over/under win total that's been assigned to the Patriots. But there was nothing performative or fake about what Maye said. If it were, he'd have found a way to weave it into the discussion earlier in the session. It's not just that Maye is ready for his close-up as the leader of the 2025 New England Patriots. By talking about the failures of the recent past, and doing so with a sort of melancholy for those who came before him, it's as though he spent the summer reading Bob Hyldburg's 'Total Patriots.' Maye's job is to make the Patriots a better team. It sounds like he also wants to make them a better organization.

5 standout players in Day 1 of Patriots training camp
5 standout players in Day 1 of Patriots training camp

USA Today

time21 hours ago

  • Sport
  • USA Today

5 standout players in Day 1 of Patriots training camp

The New England Patriots stepped on the field for their first training camp practice of the summer on Wednesday. There were a couple of competitive team periods, but this was a lighter practice with the team working in helmets and shorts. Drills were the primary focus in this setting. There are high expectations for the Patriots this year, despite the team finishing last season with a 4-13 record. Coach Mike Vrabel brought in a more experienced coaching staff and made significant upgrades on offense and defense throughout the offseason. This was the first opportunity for fans to see the new-look Patriots in person, and it wasn't a practice that disappointed. Multiple players on the roster boosted their stock a little higher after Day 1 of training camp. Here are the five standout players from the first practice: DL Keion White Patriots edge rusher Keion White has plenty of untapped potential as a defensive player. Perhaps this will be his breakout year with many of the improvements along the defensive front. He flashed his disruptive abilities at Wednesday's practice by plowing through rookie left tackle Will Campbell on a play for a would-be sack on Drake Maye. QB Drake Maye Drake Maye looked sharp during the 11-on-11 period at Wednesday's practice, completing 8-of-9 of his passes against the defense. It was promising to see him link up with newcomers Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams a couple of times in practice. The growing chemistry he develops with his new receiving weapons could be key in the offense finding a pulse for the first time in three years. CB DJ James DJ James getting the first interception at training camp wasn't on anyone's Bingo card. The second-year cornerback undercut a poorly thrown ball by veteran quarterback Josh Dobbs and came up with the takeaway. It was a heads-up play that resulted in the only forced turnover for the defense in the practice. WR Kyle Williams Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams worked in with the first-team offense and made a couple of nice grabs during practice. One play in particular was a comeback route with All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez in coverage. It was an impressive showing for a young player who will likely see many more balls thrown in his direction throughout training camp. WR Stefon Diggs It didn't take long for Stefon Diggs and Drake Maye to get on the same page. Maye found the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver on a short crosser for his first completion in training camp. Diggs came away with two receptions during the practice. It was impressive that he was even on the field in the first place after tearing his ACL last October with the Houston Texans. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

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