Patriots' Mike Vrabel Denies Rumors on Drake Maye Conflict Amid QB's Early Struggles

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked about coming to Foxborough specifically because he wanted to coach Drake Maye when asked Wednesday about rumors regarding a potential split between himself and his starting quarterback.

"Let me just tell you why I'm here. I'm here because Drake was the quarterback," Vrabel told reporters Wednesday. "Believe it or not, I had choices to where I wanted to coach. I wanted to coach here, because Drake was the quarterback.

"I don't have really much other to add to that about a comment from an unnamed source. But I'll just tell you what I've told numerous people if they want to ask me why I'm here."

The question Vrabel was answering concerned WEEI's Greg Hill saying on a recent radio show he had heard rumors of an "issue" between Vrabel and Maye, who has struggled during the Patriots' 1-2 start to the 2026 season.

Hill said on The Greg Hill Show he had heard from an "insider" that "despite what Mike Vrabel may have said publicly, it goes back to Drake Maye not being his guy."

The Patriots selected Maye with the No. 3 pick of the 2024 draft, then signed Vrabel to a multi-year deal as head coach ahead of the 2025 season.

Vrabel and Maye led the Patriots to a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance in their first season together before struggling early in the 2026 campaign.

Maye has recorded just one total touchdown to go alongside six interceptions through the first three games of the campaign.

Vrabel referred to one of Maye's latest interceptions, an attempted throw to Efton Chism III that was picked off by Trevor Lawrence, as a "terrible decision" in his own appearance on The Greg Hill Show earlier this week.

"I'm confident that he'll continue to work. He'll continue to make, or begin to make, consistently better decisions," Vrabel said earlier this week about Maye.

Vrabel added, "You have to be counted on. There's pressure on all of us. This is professional sports."

Maye will get his next shot at redemption when the Patriots travel to New York this Sunday for a Week 4 matchup at the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are heading into the matchup with a 3-0 record but a passing defense that has allowed the sixth-most yards against in the NFL so far this season.