FOXBOROUGH, Mass – Despite a horrible 2024 season for the New England Patriots, there was always one positive week in and week out: Drake Maye.  

The rookie quarterback showed so much promise in only one year, so everyone's excited to see the jump he will make in 2025. 

But, that starts with the Patriots coaching staff. And on Monday, new head coach Mike Vrabel was officially introduced. 

Of course, one of the main questions he was asked was how he plans to help develop Maye. And his answer was simple. 

"Put great people around him," Vrabel said. "We have to — I would say that my involvement will be as it relates to game management and situational awareness and where we are on the football field and trying to develop him as a leader of the offense. When a quarterback, when they call the play, like you want to say like everybody's going to believe that it's going to score a touchdown, like with that type of emphasis on how everything is going to operate. 

"Drake is going to be his own person, but I'm going to give him some things that I feel like are necessary to help us win football games.

And with that, he also went in depth about the hope for the offense as it relates to the passing game. While there are numerous other players involved, it does start with the quarterback.

"We have to be a very efficient passing football team. When you look at statistically what wins in the National Football League, our ability to affect the other team's quarterback and our ability to provide for an efficient quarterback and passing game is a high contributor to success," he added. "There's a lot of ways to do that — by protecting the middle of the pocket and all those things that we're going to talk about as we move forward. But how we protect the football, how we're aggressive but not reckless, understanding where we are in the game and the situational awareness that I feel like I've developed over six years and then my past year in Cleveland."

So, has he had an opportunity to speak with Maye yet? 

Vrabel wouldn't reveal this, just admitting that he's had conversations with different players on the team.  

"Yes, I've had conversations with players on our team," Vrabel explained. "Who that's been with, I'm going to try through the next couple of days, try to reach out to every player and the ones that are here rehabbing and that come through here and the ones that I'll call and talk and ask what I can do to help and where they're at in their off-season and how we move forward."

However, one thing was clear during his answer. 

Drake Maye is a big part of this Patriots team, but there are other players on the roster that play a big part too. And regardless of what path led them to New England, the goal for everyone is the same. 

"Everybody got here and will get here through a different avenue. Maybe we drafted them. Maybe we signed them as a free agent. Maybe we will sign them as a free agent. But none of that will matter," he said. "None of that will matter how we got here. The only thing that's going to matter is what we do when we're here, and that's the most important thing that I can tell them is that everybody in my eyes is starting over and they will prove to us and to this team the impact that they'll make. 

"We're going to give those players an opportunity, and we all have to be ready to take advantage of our opportunities. Some people get more opportunities, some people get less, but we're all guaranteed an opportunity and will you take advantage of it when it comes?"