He’s aware of the criticism of his head coach and offensive coordinator, but New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye doesn’t think much of the noise.
Maye offered his backing for Jerod Mayo and Alex Van Pelt after the Patriots were beaten 24-21 by the Buffalo Bills in Week 16. The third-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft spoke with reporters followng the game at Highmark Stadium on Sunday, December 22, and he was asked about a week’s worth of noise about the Patriots staff.
It took just five words for Maye to shut the question down. He declared, “I think it’s some BS,” before adding “I’m proud to be a Patriot,” per MassLive.com’s Chris Mason.
Maye went even further to show his support for first-year head coach Mayo. New England’s QB1 told the press, “We’ve got his back. I think we’re building something good. I think we’re building something right here,” per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.
Those words may sound strange to some after the Patriots lost a 12th game this season. Yet Maye is not the only prominent member of the roster who still believes in Mayo.
Jerod Mayo Still Has Faith of Patriots
Maye’s faith is a major boost for the Mayo regime. It’s a timely show of support, having been delivered on the same day NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported “The Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo. They believe he is the leader for the future, and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right.”
Having the support of Patriots owner Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft is obviously vital for Mayo. The latter had been taking heat for a myriad of perceived shortcomings.
Mayo’s issues included mixed messages to the media, interpreted by some as criticism of key assistant Van Pelt. The play-caller took the high road, but Mayo’s erratic way of handling the press has only increased the noise about his position.
What the 38-year-old needs is to maintain the confidence of the experienced players in the locker room. That’s why it’s significant Mason’s colleague Mark Daniels captioned Rapoport’s post and included his own note explaining “Mayo hasn’t lost the locker room and I don’t see it happening in these final weeks. Veteran players I’ve talked to like their coach and don’t view him as the problem.”
Those reports surfaced before the game in Buffalo, but it still appeared obvious veterans believe in Mayo, even after the Pats fell short on the road. At least based on the words of their leading receiver.
Tight end Hunter Henry spoke up for both Mayo and Van Pelt, telling Callahan, “I love playing for Jerod, I love playing for AVP.”
Henry should be enjoying his time in this offense. He’s become the unit’s go-to pass-catcher, reeling in 66 receptions for 674 yards and two touchdowns, including one against the Bills.
Those numbers are a reflection of the positive impact Maye is having on the Patriots receivers.
Drake Gave Patriots More Reasons for Optimism vs. Bills
Mayo can change the perception of his job performance by overseeing the successful development of Maye. The 22-year-old has the raw physical tools to become the franchise QB1 the Patriots have lacked since Tom Brady left town in 2020.
Maye was guilty of a few mistakes against the Bills, but he also made some improbable big plays. Particularly this precise touchdown strike thrown to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.
Throws like this are why Mayo and general manager Eliot Wolf made Maye the first pick of their tenure. They are also why Maye entered the game drawing favorable comparisons to Bills Pro-Bowl passer Josh Allen.
Surrounding the precocious signal-caller with right the coaching and talent has been tricky, but Maye is already making his receivers better. The next step is for Mayo and his staff to build an expansive offense more complementary to Maye’s skills.
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