Drake Maye garnered a lot of praise from former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for his game-winning performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 10. Belichick may no longer be coaching in the NFL, but he keeps track of the ins and outs of the league, especially about his previous employers.
The league already witnessed the matchup between the top two picks of this year’s Draft and on Sunday experienced the one taking three in Chicago. It wasn’t pretty from Maye, but he put up 15/25 completed passes for 184 yards, one score, and one interception as the Patriots won 19-3.
On Monday, Bill Belichick appeared on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show and discussed Maye’s outing against the Bears.
I think he’s [Drake Maye] done a good job when he’s been able to scramble and run around… Made some plays on play-action, where they can separate the defense because the running game, when [Rhamondre] Stevenson can get it going, draws some of the coverage and the linebackers up and so forth.
Bill Belichick told Pat McAfee
“Drake Maye has done a good job when he’s able to scramble..
The bigger thing is where the Bears are..
They can’t protect and they can’t score any points” ~ Bill Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/SpHDWu3aGs
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 11, 2024
Maye’s teammates share Belichick’s sentiments. The North Carolina graduate quickly incorporated himself into the Patriots system, and even though he initially lost the starting job to Jacoby Brissett, the veteran failed to keep hold of it.
We all want to do better and play better for him. Whether it’s in practice or the game. You can’t play a good game without practicing well.
Veteran offensive lineman Mike Onwenu said (H/T: NECN.com)
Drake Maye reveals why he admires Jerod Mayo as head coach
Jerod Mayo made several changes to the Patriots team—decreased the average age of players, injecting more youth into an old squad. Maye, who only joined the team in March, found similarities between Mayo and his former coach at North Carolina, Mac Brown.
From his point of view, both know how to be players’ coaches.
The biggest thing you look for as a player is a player’s coach. I think they both check off that box.
Drake Maye said recently
Furthermore, Mayo, being a former Patriots player, understands the culture better than most. So, making him the head coach was a fair decision.
He’s lived through the Patriots experience [and] knows what it’s like to do the early morning lifts and come back and run the hills after practice. I think that’s the biggest thing you respect.
Drake Maye said
Mayo also thinks highly of his rookie quarterback.
Anytime you have a quarterback that is as level-headed, is a smart guy, a competitor, all those things, and a leader, there’s no perfect time to do anything.
Jerod Mayo said
The duo of Mayo and Maye weren’t favorites for a playoff push to begin with. They currently stand on a 3-7 record and are last in the AFC East. However, there are tons of positives to take from the season and improve on next year.
