Drake Maye Says Mike Vrabel Will Bring 'Toughness' to Patriots After Jerod Mayo's Exit

Drake Maye is ready for the Mike Vrabel era.

"He's been great," the New England Patriots quarterback said of the team's new coach during an appearance on Thursday's episode of the Green Light with Chris Long podcast (11:35 mark).

"I'm looking forward to getting to know him. I think he'll bring some toughness and coach it hard. Even great players that we have and veteran guys want to be coached hard."

Maye pointed to Vrabel's experience playing with Tom Brady and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' experience coaching the all-time legend as reasons for excitement as well, as they can each help him take the next step under center.

The North Carolina product was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing 4-13 season for the Patriots in 2024.

He completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while adding 421 yards and two scores as a runner. Those numbers were good enough to get him to the Pro Bowl and hinted at better things to come when he is more experienced in the NFL.

Despite some promise from their rookie quarterback, the Patriots still decided to fire head coach Jerod Mayo. That opened the door for them to bring in Vrabel in a match that made plenty of sense on paper.

After all, Vrabel is a New England legend after winning three Super Bowl titles as a linebacker for the AFC East team. He also won Coach of the Year with the Tennessee Titans and will look to help the Patriots quickly turn things around in his first year.

If Maye takes the necessary strides under his leadership, the team could be a factor in the playoff race as soon as the 2025 campaign.