Drake Maye: Patriots ‘need to be coached hard' by Vrabel originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
As much as Patriots players supported Jerod Mayo during his lone season as New England’s head coach, it sounds like many of them are excited for a new boss with a new message.
On Wednesday morning, third-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez suggested “the building got a little more lax” under Mayo, which “might have hurt” the Patriots’ performance on the field. Later that night, second-year quarterback Drake Maye said he’s looking forward to new head coach Mike Vrabel providing some “hard coaching.”
“For me as a player, especially as a quarterback, you want that, you like that, you want to be coached hard. We’re playing at the highest level, but we still need to be coached hard,” Maye told Patriots Insider Phil Perry in an exclusive interview from Radio Row in New Orleans.
“I guess the biggest thing people get away from — we don’t know everything. Especially me coming in, second year, just finished my rookie season, I don’t know everything. I want to be coached hard.
“I know (offensive coordinator Josh) McDaniels will get that done, Coach Vrabel. I think some of our guys, including me, we probably need that — a little hard coaching.”
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The No. 1 reason why the Patriots went 4-13 last season was a lack of talent. New England had one of the worst rosters in the league and was particularly weak at key positions like offensive line, wide receiver and pass rusher. But lack of discipline and poor situational awareness also played key roles in their struggles — the Patriots lost six games by one score in 2024 — and the hope is that Vrabel helps New England improve in those areas by setting a tone of accountability.
“We’re gonna remove entitlement from our football team,” Vrabel said at his introductory press conference last month. “We’re gonna get everything that we’ve earned, from the head coach to the position coaches, all the way down to the players. We’re gonna earn the right to be here every single day.”
Vrabel’s approach may not resonate with everyone, but the fact that his best offensive player and best defensive player appear on board is a great sign as the Patriots aim to return to prominence.
“I think we’re really excited about Coach (Vrabel) because he’s played in New England and knows what it’s like to have success for the Patriots and (has been) a head coach somewhere else,” Maye told Perry.
“So, he’s kind of been out of system and seen different things. … I think he’s really excited. I think the guys are gonna be pumped up.”
Watch Maye’s full interview with Phil Perry in the video player above or on YouTube.
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