PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE
PRESS CONFERENCE
October 7, 2026
Q: How important is it to keep the ball rolling this week and continue from what you showed last week?
DM: You have to. I'm trying to keep the same mindset when things don't go well, of next week and trying to bounce back from it. Also, from this week, when you said, 'Riding the rollercoaster,' every week is a new week in this league, and every team is different and has different challenges. You know that it's any given week. Like I've said time and time again in this league, you have to play good football to end up on the right side of things.
Q: I know Josh [McDaniels] has a ton of information and insight for you every week, that's his job. But given he was there, worked with Rob Leonard, their defensive coordinator, how has that helped at all, that personal experience he has had with his coach?
DM: Yeah, he's been very complimentary of their defensive coordinator, knowing that he does a lot of great things. Obviously, it was similar when we played the Raiders last year and they had Coach [Patrick] Graham, and now he's in Pittsburgh. There's just a bunch of moving parts of guys that Coach McDaniels has worked for, and they know a bit about Coach, so it's kind of a cool little chess match. It's cool to have things that he knows about them, and I'm sure they know things about us. So, trying to balance that, see throughout the game how things are going and how they are doing things, but knowing that they do a lot of good stuff. They're forcing takeaways, making plays on the football and really doing a good job of doing that – creating opportunities for them to force fumbles and make plays in the passing game.
Q: Is there anything different that you did last week or anything that you can point to that led to better performance that maybe you will try to replicate again going forward here?
DM: I think I try to stay the same and try to treat every week the same. I wish I could try to point to something different, but no, I think it's just a habit of getting confidence in the guys around us and around me. I think the guys up front did a heck of a job just trying to give our guys a chance in the passing game. I think we hit a little more, maybe we hit a few of the ones that I felt were there to be made. I think we've missed those the first few weeks, some opportunities for big plays, and I think we hit that. But really, just trying to get back at it, starting with practice, trying to study the plan the best I can. Also, realizing that you treat every week like you have to play well and play well in my position to end up on the right side of things.
Q: The Raiders being a simulated pressure defense, I'm curious, what are the unique challenges that those types of pressures present, and what do you have to do to make sure that you're on top of it and you know who's coming and who's not?
DM: Yeah, I think they do a good job of building different coverages behind it, too. I think that's one of the best things when you bring different guys and bring multiple blitzers, not bringing just linebackers – they bring some corners and do some different things, and that catches you off balance. So, they do a good job of trying to disrupt you, keeping you on your toes. You're just trying to pick it up and exploit the extra room that you get from when they try to bring some and double drop a guy into coverage. But at the same time, you have to be able to see and have your eyes in the right place, and I think that's the big thing we're trying to focus on every week, is to have my eyes in the right spot, trusting what I see and letting it rip.
Q: Efton Chism III, as he tries to steal reps with you, whether it be in the film room together or before or after practice, what has your relationship been like with him over the last two years?
DM: Yeah, it's been awesome. Seeing Chiz just come in and be the same guy. You hear about obviously what he did in college and all the records. I think he even, I don't know, maybe it was Oregon he had a big game or something in college where he showed his talent. I think from day one, you can tell a guy, from my experience, a receiver that, 'Man, he's got a chance to make some plays.' And you saw that with Chiz, and you saw it 1-on-1s. You see it; he's fearless. That catch over the middle I thought was the one that led to the great catch, but he's finishing in the run game. He'll block the guys, shielding them off as I was running around the corner. So, he's been doing a lot of the little things that I think were just showing up. He comes in every day, enjoys trying to see my side of things, asks questions and tries to get on the same page, and that's what ends up happening. You start seeing the results.
Q: Drake, you talked about getting confidence in the guys around you. Do you feel like your chemistry with Romeo [Doubs] took an important step forward on Sunday and building that confidence with him?
DM: I think, also, it's going through them through practice. These practice reps, what we're getting in practice and trying to just build that into the game is the biggest thing I felt. You feel like you're in a good spot going throughout the week and you would like to see things show up on Sunday, and I think that did. So, that was one of the cool things, to see him rewarded for the work he's put in and finally getting in the end zone. Like I said, like I told Mike [Reiss] last week, he keeps on doing things the right way and he's going to keep on making plays for us.
Q: Drake, where do you feel the offense is at on the path to reaching its full potential?
DM: I think we're just starting up the mountain. I think you would like to think that, and we have to go and prove that, but it's a race for us to improve, knowing that you have to improve throughout the season and throughout the year for these teams. These teams, once you get closer to the end, are going to be at their best at the end, and I think that's one of the things that you strive to do throughout the year. Knowing that, you would like to say everybody – especially on offense – you'd like to say that the first three weeks weren't what we wanted to put out there. You have to try to build off last week, knowing that it's not just going to do it for you. You have to put the work in and the focus, and hopefully continue to catch a trend and catch a stride.
Q: Drake, the Raiders have a young quarterback whose in a similar situation that you were as a rookie, waiting his turn. How did that help you when you reflect back on your career, waiting that first year, and do you have any connection with Fernando [Mendoza]?
DM: Yeah. No, first off, I want to speak on Kirk [Cousins]. I got to know Kirk a little bit and know how well he's playing right now. He's playing at a really high level, and it's fun to see a guy like Kirk who has been through the battles on different teams. To see him play great football, and it's been cool to see that. But really, for me it was Jacoby Brissett, and I think Fernando is in a similar situation. A great vet that plays the game the right way, that knows how to operate in the locker room, knows how to hang out with teammates, knows how to be a quarterback in this league. And that's one of the coolest things I got to do my rookie year with Jacoby. I still talk to Jacoby on a weekly basis as he's playing. He's been one of my best friends since I got in the league. So, it's been cool for me to keep that relationship. I, maybe, met Fernando one time, but I heard great things. I really respect the way he speaks about his faith, handles the media and just tries to be himself. I think he's got a bright future in this league, and I know whenever his time is, it's going to come, and he's going to do his thing. But right now, Kirk is playing some good football.
Q: With that said, I know that people highlighted that he's in this building before 6:00 a.m. every day talking to Todd [Downing]. What do you see about his preparation week in and week out that stands out to you?
DM: I think he's smart. One of the best things for a quarterback is having a smart receiver, knowing that he has a good feel for the game, a good feel for mic points in the run game, who to block and can understand things quickly. And I really have come to appreciate that in players, especially young players that just kind of get it. And you see a lot of those guys, Eli [Raridon], TreVeyon [Henderson] and even Will [Campbell] and Jared [Wilson], those guys. Credit to our scouting staff for drafting smart dudes. That helps me, and it helps me not to have to explain things and really worry about things out there. And that's one of the things with Chiz, you're not going to worry about him being in the right spot or knowing the right thing to do. It's one of those things when you feel like he maybe runs the wrong route once in 1,000 routes, it's a surprise. And I think that's comforting for the quarterback and for me back there to have a guy out there in the huddle.
Q: Drake, when you reflect on the high leverage moments into Seattle, red zone in Jacksonville versus the end at Buffalo, is there a difference in how you felt in those moments before you threw the ball when you were making those decisions?
DM: I've always had the mindset to go win the game, go put my best foot forward and to want the ball at the end. I'm going to stay having that mindset, and I like my chances in those circumstances. I feel like the more times I'm in those, the more confident you feel, and you feel like, 'Man, this is a spot you want to be in.' So, I've had that mindset with my dad growing up, when we were in basketball or in baseball, you wanted the last shot in basketball and wanted the ball in your hand. You see guys in the NBA go get the ball and everybody wants the last shot. So, I think that's the mindset the quarterback has every time you get a chance to go win it. I think that's the mindset I have, and the cool thing about this position is you have to get the guys around you and those guys definitely help me out.
Q: Where does that unwavering confidence come from, Drake? Last week Josh was with us, and he said he's seen you in pickleball or golf have a bad moment, but it really doesn't bother you. You come back and do something well after. Where does that stem from, you think?
DM: Just growing up and playing with my older brothers. I think just us always talking smack, having something not go your way when you're talking smack and still having to keep talking to my brothers. I think that's just the mindset that I've had. I think it's always easy for me to talk crap with my brothers, keep talking and try to have something to back it up and bounce back. Nowadays, it's more of things that aren't as physical, but it used to be basketball, and my brother Luke would drive by and dunk one, and then I'd have to go, 'Now it's my ball. I have to go do something with it.' So, there are definitely times growing up where I felt like I can't just take my ball and go home. As my mom used to say, 'Never take your ball and just go home.' So, you just have to face it.
Q: Drake, congratulations on the award. But what have you learned from the first quarter of the season now that you can carry forward to keep the positivity going?
DM: Yeah, I think one of the coolest things about this team is just banding together through the highs and lows, times where you feel like you didn't play your best and times where you feel like you even did some good things. Just trying to feed into each other, feed into knowing how important the respect of your teammates is, knowing how powerful it is to have people in the huddle, on the sideline and in the locker room moving in one direction. I think Coach [Mike] Vrabel does an unbelievable job of that, setting that stage and allowing us players to be the ones moving the needle. I think that's one of the coolest things for me, to see that each and every week. Trying to keep on having that mindset this week and throughout the rest of the season for Coach Vrabel to set the stage, and for us players to take it head on and then run with it.
