PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE
PRESS CONFERENCE
September 5, 2026
Q: Seven months removed from the Super Bowl now, do you feel you are better equipped now to compete against the defense you are about to face?
DM: I think that's a tough question. I think one of the biggest things is we got to see what it's like. We got some new faces, and we experienced it, and we got to learn from it. I think you would like to think you are, but it's really when you are out there, and you got to react, and you got to have some urgency, and we got to get ready to play at their place. It's going to be a tough environment. They are well-coached; they got great players. We got a good team, so I am looking forward to seeing what we got. We have been practicing for, everybody in the league has, and I feel like they want to play a game. So, this is when it matters, and I am looking forward to getting out there and a tough challenge. I am excited to see us go out there and play. We got to play good to win.
Q: I know different teams, Drake, but along those lines of just to open the season, how much are you looking forward to that opportunity, that challenge, that crowd, everything you guys want to do and accomplish?
DM: Yeah, you hear about it being a football fan growing up, playing in their stadium, and the crowd that they got, and when they got a great team, the crowd's even better. And they got a great team. They are coming off a Super Bowl, so they are going to be hyped and excited, and it's going to be a challenge for us. We got to embrace it. We do not go there very often - it's an NFC opponent that we play every so often. We have played in some loud environments, we did last year and did well, so we got to continue that and do the little things right and be good in communication and make sure we keep on playing with each other and playing for us. It's about us.
Q: Does it mean anything extra to start the season against the Seahawks?
DM: You like to think it's a new year. You like to think that, but at the same time, you could go against an opponent that you just lost a Super Bowl against. In the last game that I played and was out there, we lost to them in the biggest game. That's why you play the game for. So there's definitely, I would not say extra, just a little bit of, man, this is our chance to start the season off strong on a good foot and knowing that the opponent that we have. You get to say, you get a little bit of a, you get your revenge game, but I would not say revenge game. They won the big one, and we got to start the season off. You cannot get that game back that we lost, so we are onto something new.
Q: Drake, I know you are interested just with week one, there's a little bit of uncertainty there. No one really knows how things are going to go. But, what do you see from this Seattle defense that really kind of stands out for you?
DM: Yeah, I think first off, they are good at all three levels. I think that's the biggest thing. They play hard. They play the right way. They are physical. And you can tell that in that defensive room, where they have their defensive unit meetings, they got an identity. And you can see it on tape. They fly around. They do the little things right, and they hit you, and they go after the ball, and they push into the pocket, and they got good rushers, and they change it up and can give you different looks. But at the same time, it's pretty tough when they can play in a split safety shell and stop the run. So, we got to find ways to be able to keep the chains moving. And I know that there's some plays I wish I had back. And even though that you cannot get those plays back, looking back at the Super Bowl, so you got to execute them when they happen. And I think that's kind of their motto, and I think they are really well-coached.
Q: Drake, you talked a lot this year about getting into the right play. And how much more can you audible or check at the line this season compared to last year?
DM: I think it's earned. I think the biggest thing is you got to play well, play good football. And I think more and more, comfortability and confidence coach has in me to do things on my own is earned. And I think starting off on those simple checks that we have that I feel comfortable getting in and out of, getting us in a good place. But I think the advanced, "kill them when you feel like you know what they are in." That's something that I got to show coach that I see it the same as he does and be able to communicate to my guys. That's the most challenging part, especially in an environment like this. There will not be too much yelling out at the receiver - they cannot hear me. So, you got to be subtle and know what plays we are in and make sure everybody's on the same page.
Q: What did you get accomplished today?
DM: Yeah, it's been a weird schedule. So, I think the best thing is getting into the game week. And I think having an uppers day where we are blocking people, hitting people. We have been working on Seattle, getting everybody transitioned from training camp at the end into starting to get ready for an opponent. So, we are getting ready for an opponent, and I feel like our scout team's given us a great look. So, we are getting a challenge, and our guys are having to realize how important practice is. And me too, of how much the reps matter and the confidence in the plays at practice that gives the coaches confidence to call them in the games and knowing that we can execute them.
Q: How excited are you to get to truly play with this wide receiver room that you have this year?
DM: It's hard not to be excited. You love guys in that room, in our skill position room that I feel like we have that make my job easier and that make me look good. And I think that's with our skill group last year, and that was looking forward to seeing what this skill group does because I think another year for the guys that were here in this system to grow and even be better and the new guys that come in that have been players in this league and look forward to getting the ball as fast as I can, as much as I can because those guys can make plays. I got the best seat in the house when I throw it to them or watch them run.
Q: With that, it seems like during training camp in the red zone, you were targeting it could be any receiver at any moment. What's it like to know that you can hit any one of those guys, whether it be tight end, running back, wide receiver in the end zone and know that they will likely come down with the ball?
DM: Oh, it's a huge confidence booster for me of seeing them time and time again go up and make plays. And fortunately enough, growing up, my dad played quarterback, and he always said, it's hard to force it to one guy. And knowing that those guys will make plays when you feel like the game's moving and you feel like the offense is in a groove, that just comes naturally. And I think that's what you have seen with guys that have big games, and you can see from last year of different guys having big games. And I think that's one of the best things about my position is just seeing everybody do their part and do their job well and how rewarding that is.
Q: We talked to some of the offensive linemen about the challenges of working with a silent count, but I am curious, the skill position guys, A.J. [Brown] talked a little bit about how he has to be especially mindful in situations like that. What are some of the challenges there with those guys when it comes to working on silent count?
DM: Yeah, the receivers, you like to think that it's easy, but they got to get lined up, know if they have a motion, know what their route is, know if they see the alert and all by watching the ball where I am not hearing the cadence. So, they got a tough job of, it's simple to say, 'Hey, watch the ball,' but they got a lot of thinking to do while watching the ball. So, I think the offensive line as well, it's thinking about it, Will and Morgan that are trying to look inside and block a guy getting paid a lot of money that's a big dude outside. They got to look and cannot really get a jump on it. So, I think there's advantages and disadvantages to working in the silent, and I think it's mostly just us repping it. And I think Coach Vrabel and offensive staff do a great job of preparing us, and I think we have got a lot of work at it, and I think those guys got a good grip on it. So, we got to stay out of penalties, avoid penalties and keep the positive plays going, and I think when we are ahead of the chains, we tend to do better for ourselves.
Q: Drake, what do you make of the idea of a year three leap this season?
DM: Yeah, I am maybe not really focused on that, hoping we win some games. I think the more that I can, myself, put the offense into good plays and make plays and score plays with how much confidence I have in our defense, I think we will be on the right side of a lot of games. So, I think more year three leap and year two leap, I am focused on leaping each and every day and trying to get better. How can I get better? And the more you get better each and every day, I feel like whatever you guys call a leap, whatever happens, happens. So I think trying to trump 14 games last year, 14 and 3, that would be a big leap for us. So that's, that would be a challenge. And I think we got to attack it one week at a time, and I am looking for our team to make a leap, really instead of me.
Q: Drake, you were just talking about the offensive line. Do you feel like the offensive line has improved over the last several months or so?
DM: You have to take it into account that these guys learned a system. We learned a system five months, and we are out there in year one, and we did a lot of great things up front, and in the run game and realizing that they are more and more comfortable not having to be in the virtual room going over calls with the guys and me working on mic points and micing the wrong guy and having to go through that last spring. We got a full OTAs of guys that understand the system, understand the calls, understand what we are doing things for. So, I think naturally just the evolution of a human being, being in the offense again, I think those guys have grown and I am looking forward to seeing them. I found the joint practices were fun to watch them work and get after it and run the football and protect me. Those guys take it head on, and they got a tough job in this league. The more and more that these defensive guys are getting paid for coming after me. So, they got a tough job, but I know that those guys and we got a lot of confidence in those guys, and it's a tight-knit group and I respect that and I am looking forward to getting out there with them again.
Q: You went to your rookie year, not the starter going into Week 1. Last year, you did not really know what the team was going to be going into this first game. Does this year feel different for you going into your first game of the year?
DM: I think it's at the point now where you come into the season, everybody's excited and feels like they got a good team. And then you look back and week one is a weird week. We lost last year Week 1, and we kind of had to find ourselves and keep pushing and playing hard to really find ourselves. So, you got to take Week 1 seriously because you got a lot of things that are maybe different, maybe some new looks that you have not seen, you got playing with new players, so you kind of got to find a groove. I think it's just confidence in myself of playing the system again. Confidence in knowing how Coach McDaniels thinks, how he likes to call it, how we are approaching defenses. We got a chance to come in here and make a big statement win. And I think that's kind of what we are rooting for. And confidence, a lot of confidence comes from winning and playing good football. So, I think that's what we are working towards, and I know these guys are excited to get out there.
