PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE
PRESS CONFERENCE
July 31, 2026
Q: Quite a few of your teammates have talked about how much more vocal you are this year, and how much more you have taken control of the offense. Is that something that comes natural or easy to you, or is it something you have to force out of yourself?
DM: I'm just trying to be myself, I think is the big thing. I think it is natural when you are in the second year of an offense and you feel like you know what you are talking about, and you can, you put a year on tape where you feel like you did some good things and knew what you were doing most of the time. So, I think that speaks for itself. And knowing the offense and trying to get to the level of Coach McDaniels and some of the coaches is what we are all trying to do, and kind of understand how they see it and how they want us to execute it. From there, I feel like we can direct guys and I can push guys to try to get to that level, and that is the goal.
Q: I can see you had a conversation with A.J. (Brown), in getting comfortable with each other on the field, but also it looks like you guys are doing a lot of talking after plays, after series—
DM: I think just trying to get a feel for what he is seeing, what I am seeing, what he is feeling out there when he is running routes in coverage. We got some great competition. Him and Gonzo (Christian Gonzalez) are going back and forth and going at it. So, it is great for us to talk and pull up some old things that he has run and how he liked to run them and what he liked to do, and the routes for his different looks. So, it is just trying to feel the connectivity building now. I think that is the biggest thing with a player like him and a lot of players that we have. It is my job to try to get him the ball when they want and when they, when I feel like they are open, and that is what he's trying to build a relationship with me and him. I think you're just seeing it get better every day, and I think that is the best thing about training camp is what you use it for. I am blessed to play with a player like him and looking forward to giving him the rock and seeing him do his thing.
Q: It seems like today you were targeting his (Christian Gonzalez) side pretty heavily. Is that something you like to do to both give your receivers a challenge, but also give him a challenge, keep him on his toes in moments like this in training camp?
DM: Yeah, I mean, I see Gonzo probably almost more than anybody in the locker room since my rookie year. We're right beside each other my rookie and last year, now we are right across from each other. So, I love going at good players, and I think he wants that. He practices hard and he always is making-- we are always making jokes back and forth to each other. I remember back in OTAs last year, I think he picked me off two or three times. Since then – back in my scout team days, my rookie year, I threw him a bunch of them. So it's fun to go against a guy like him. Especially when you got guys that I feel like can give him some good work. I always feel like a player like Gonzo in practice, you feel like when he is backside,"Oh, do not look over there." I'm the type that wants to go over there and challenge him. He knows that, and obviously he is a great player in this league, and I love having him on my team and being able to practice against him.
Q: Drake, we have heard a lot this year from you and Vrabs (Mike Vrabel) about getting into the right play and the importance. What changes are allowing you –or are going to allow you to do that this season that were not happening last year?
DM: I think, first of all, I think better identifying the problems of the plays and what makes them a bad look. I think identifying that, and I feel like I always had a good feel for, "Man, this play does not feel like it is going to go right." So now just finding answers and having answers is the biggest thing. Communicating to our guys, even when we are not at home, when it is easy to talk and the crowd is quiet. Being on the road and being able to do it is tough, especially in this league when stadiums and crowds are knowing when to get loud and when they feel like I am talking they are going to get louder. So, not only knowing when we have a problem, but knowing how to communicate the answer to everybody and be on the same page.
Q: Drake, you mentioned the connection that is growing between you and A.J. (Brown). What has been the most important thing there in forging that connection and improving it as this camp has gone on?
DM: Just giving more chances to him. I think you see with the ball in his hands what he can do, so just finding more chances, intermediate, short, deep, just not shying away from it –I am not going to shy away from him. That is how I play. I am going to keep going at it, and it could be the fifth play in a row I am going to give him the rock. So, I think just finding a way to balance that with a player like him and also, you got Romeo (Doubs) and Pop (DeMario Douglas) and Hunter (Henry) – you got guys— Rhamondre (Stevenson) TreVeyon (Henderson), you got guys that can stress the defense. So, knowing the right play to make, first off, but also finding some time in training camp to give him some chances that maybe in a game I may be like, "Hey, I may pass on that."
Q: Are there certain things that you look for to know, like, hey, the chemistry and the timetable that I want this to happen is happening? Are there things that you see on the field that like," all right, we are getting closer to where I want us to be and where we can be?"
DM: I don't think you try to look that much into it. I mean, you feel like you know when things are clicking. I feel like we had some good plays today— He's (A.J. Brown) a force in this league, he's been a force in this league, and I know we have a lot of players that make plays. That is the best thing about offense like Coach McDaniels (says) "It can be anybody any given day," and that is what the story was last year. I feel like that is what we are trying to repeat and just have a little bit more juice and a little bit more swagger to us.
Q: You have not thrown many incomplete passes over the last two practices. How much do you feel like you are in a rhythm?
DM: Yeah, I think you find that during training camp. You try to find a rhythm and try to find— I feel like being accurate is one of the number one things of playing quarterback and putting the ball in the right spot and giving our guys chances, and that is what I'm doing and our guys are making plays and— I think the biggest thing for us is to stay positive plays, and includes run game, passing game and – For me, it is getting started early. It's like when I used to play basketball and used to come out and try to shoot a three, get a layup, get to the free throw line, and then—but at the same time, I love taking a shot early, so trying to balance that.
Q: Drake, there is a lot of talent in your wide receiver room and tight end room and backfield right now. Do you have to massage people and say, "Look, I am coming to you in a minute. Do not worry about it." Does that all enter into it –"I got to get this guy some looks?"
DM: Well, I mean, I think the nature of seeing other guys make plays makes people feel like, "Man, I want to be in the right spot and do the right thing and go make a play." So, I think the competitive spirit in that room, in the skill group position, in the position room and that offensive room does it for itself. I think part of the times you get into trouble when you're trying to sit back there and be like, "Oh, I have not thrown one to him in a while." I will do that in the walkthrough when nobody is on defense and give everybody a touch but, when we're out here and you're playing in the National Football League, it's hard to pick and choose and try to get it to a guy on a certain play.
Q: You and A.J. (Brown) have both stressed he importance of communication. What does that look like? Are you guys carving out extra time after practice to sit down and talk, or is it more of just the natural back and forth in practice?
DM: Yeah, I think it's all the above. I think just being in a constant conversation— that is the best thing about it. Him seeing something and texting me it or – kind of the whole skill room. I love doing big meetings with everybody and Coach McDaniels does a great job of explaining the little things and why we do them, and those guys are starting to understand more and more why we do the little things and how they work. So, that is the best thing about these guys, and I think they're continuing to get better and better each and every day, and they're kinda— We got a crowded room and I think they realize that the only thing to make us—the room even better, is to keep making plays. I wouldn't even say crowded; it's just a competitive room— is the biggest thing.
Q: Drake, you and Pop (Douglas) connected a few times today. Todd Downing's mentioned how he has grown on some of the decision routes. How would you say your rapport with Pop has grown over the time you guys have been together?
DM: Yeah, man, I think Pop is one of the first guys here when I was a rookie, I was like, "Man, that guy moves different." You can tell when he is guarding Marcus— or when Marcus Jones is guarding him. Two of those guys are probably two of the quickest and fastest guys in the league that go head-to-head every day, and you just see them making each other better. Pop does a lot of things right. He has got great hands for his size and just put it out in front of him, he's a target that when you give him a catch-and-run ball, he could go make something happen. Some of the moves and intricacies of his route detail is really cool to see as a guy his size of how he can stop so fast and always laugh in the quarterback room—seeing him on film, how he stops so fast on a dime—when you give him the football more because he can make some plays.
Q: Eli Raridon is making more and more plays out there. What have you liked about targeting him so far?
DM: Yeah, he is a big dude, first off, that can run. I mean, that's pretty cool, and he is smart. He went to Notre Dame and I know he is another guy that, half ACC, half not, but we like to call ourselves smart in the ACC so— He understands positions, he understands how to play both positions, the tight end spot. I think he is making plays on the football. That's what you want to see from a young guy, and he is putting the work in. That is the biggest thing with a young rookie. You want to see him go out there and take a rep when he is tired and not call for a sub, and he is doing all the things the right way, and I am looking forward to seeing what he does throughout camp. He has been a great player for us and a great dude.
Q: When you see defenders at the line of scrimmage and you know they might be bringing pressure at this stage of camp, how do you react to that? Is it early for that? Do you like seeing those types of looks to get you those reps this early?
DM: Our defense keeps us on our toes at all times. They do a great job of mixing up blitzes, bringing different guys and I think that is one of the best things about our defense, being in their second year as well. They are not just sitting there in cover four or Tampa and just saying, "Hey, play ball." They're bringing different blitzes and different blitz zones behind it. So, it's great work for us to see the coverage, see where blitzes are at and for us guys up front to block it.
Q: It is only one week of camp, but what, if anything, is new— you feel like you have learned about your offense?
DM: Learned about our offense? I think just the unlocked potential that we could even take more steps forward. I think we're just figuring things out, figuring out how coach liked the game plan, figuring out how he liked to do things last year. I think we have some work to expand the offense and do some different things and put even more pressure on the defense than we did last year. The biggest thing is just knowing that when you start off good in the game—and we had some games where we felt like we slowed down the second half—just keep the foot on the pedal and keep going.
