Patriots QB Drake Maye Transcript 12/31

PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE

PRESS CONFERENCE

December 31, 2025

 

 

Q: Outside of winning on Sunday, for you, personally, what are you hoping to get out of this final game as you prep for the postseason?

 

DM: It’s a great time to work in practice and work in the game on catching a groove. Continue to try to get better, try to catch a stride coming into the playoffs and feel like we’re playing our best football. So, that’s one of the best feelings about getting another week of practice, getting another game of action, get reps that are going to help us down the road, getting the live action and not feeling like you have a week off of getting the game action. So, looking forward to getting out there, slinging it around a little bit and playing.

 

Q: I know you and Will [Campbell] are close off the field as well. What’s it like to see him back at  practice after having been on injured reserve?

 

DM: Yeah, it’s awesome to see Big Willy [Will Campbell] back out there. I’m glad. I just want to appreciate V-Lowe [Vederian Lowe] for what he did. Credit to V-Lowe, stepping in, stepping up, not blinking at all, just trusting in his work, his preparation. V-Lowe did a great job for us, and you never know what happens with V-Lowe. Probably, maybe, going to need him again. So, that’s just the next man up, and those guys up front have done a great job all year of stepping up when they’re in there, blocking their butts off. I’m looking forward to having Big Willy back out there and looking forward to seeing him get back to doing what he does best.

 

Q: K’Lavon Chaisson told us that some teammates asked if you get into a flow state when you play the way you did against the Jets. We didn’t get the answer to it. So, can you tell us what it is like for you when you kind of get into a rhythm in games and go a quarter or two where you just don’t make any mistakes?

 

DM: Yeah, I think it feeds off play calling. It feeds off play calling, and our guys executing. That’s the biggest thing. I just try to find the open guy that I look at first, and whichever the first one that I feel like is open, I try to let it rip. But no, it’s a cool feeling getting out there, kind of catching a groove and being in a stride. Like I said, just try to protect the football and give our guys a chance to make a play.

 

Q: You mentioned it feeds off play calling, which is Josh [McDaniels], obviously. It seems like you two have a counterbalance with each other that’s sort of a cool synergy. When did you first meet him? What do you remember about that?

 

DM: Yeah, I first met him on a FaceTime call. He was in the office, obviously, like he always is, probably watching film or something. But no, it just builds off trust. Just building trust over time, throughout training camp, throughout OTAs, trusting what he’s feeling, what he’s thinking. ‘Hey, if you think this guy’s coming, get out of it,’ or little things like that. He does a great job of preparing me during the week – him and Ashton [Grant] – during the week of finding answers. ‘Hey, if they do this,’ or ‘We may expect him to do this, do that,’ and little things that go a long way in preparation. It all starts with your practice. He really takes practice very seriously, and I think that’s one of the greatest things about him. He cares so much about practice and getting practice right.

 

Q: Do you remember where you were? What were you thinking?

 

DM: Where was I? I think it was just after I got engaged, so who knows what I was thinking. Just looking forward to meeting him and was just thankful to get a chance, the opportunity to play for him. Obviously, I heard about him and saw all the old Patriot tapes and the old videos, and obviously, what he’s done here as a coordinator before. So, I was just looking forward to working with him, and it’s obviously come true of what I thought.

 

Q: What would you say is the biggest thing you’ve learned about yourself this season?

 

DM: Learned about myself? That’s a great question. Biggest thing I learned about myself, just keep working, just keep going at it. Whether good things happened to me – and a lot have this year – or in times of adversity, just keep going, keep trusting my preparation, my practice habits, what I see on tape, trust in myself and my ability. Just keep going, keep going, and trust the guys around you.

 

Q: Any thoughts as a captain and a teammate as to what’s going on off the field with Christian [Barmore] and Stef [Diggs]?

 

DM: The best thing Coach [Mike] Vrabel always says, let those guys speak for themselves. I’m going to support them any way I can, support my teammates, and I love those guys. Those two, really everybody, I’ve really got a good relationship with, and I feel like whatever they need from me, I’m here for them. Like I said, for those guys, for them to speak on it.

 

Q: Drake, you know them very well, much better than us. Can you just shed some light onto who they are as people, Christian and Stefon?

 

DM: Stef, man, he means a lot to this team. He’s breaking the huddle down before practice today. He’s chirping at me on the sideline to give him the rock. He’s pumping up the young guys when they make big plays. He’s blocking downfield. He gives off the persona of one of those guys that you just want to be teammates with. I think that’s one of the best things about him that I’ve kind of learned, is how awesome it is to be his teammate and be there with him. Then B-More [Christian Barmore], I love talking crap with B-More. He’s passionate about football, passionate about the game. He’s one of those guys in the locker room that you want to have rushing the passer. He loves quarterbacks, too, especially his own, but he loves getting after them. But really, I think those guys, personally, I think they just care about one another. They care about each other, and they care about this football team. That’s the biggest thing.

 

Q: Is there a message you’ve shared with your teammates since this stuff has come public?

 

DM: No, I think Coach Vrabel hit it on the head. Just let those guys speak for themselves, and I think that’s the biggest thing we can do now. I know those guys are great players for us.

 

Q: Going into the last week of the regular season, any thoughts on being at least on the short list when it comes to potential MVP?

 

DM: Just an honor. Just an honor. I’ve told everybody that has said some things in the locker room, ‘It’s us. It’s not just me, it’s us in the locker room.’ It’s really a team deal, I think. They say ‘player,’ but I think wins help that. So obviously, there’s been some great seasons around the league from a lot of players, and it’s an honor, but also at the same time, we’ve got work to do.

 

Q: If there’s any criticism, I guess, about this team so far this season, it’s been the schedule you guys have faced. Just curious, sharing your thoughts on that and people saying it’s been a weak schedule so far this season.

 

DM: We play in the National Football League. Every team’s got great players that get paid a lot of money. So, it’s not like we’re playing, shoot, Foxborough High School down the road. We play who’s on our schedule, and we can’t control that. Just trying to go out there and win. A lot of these teams that we do play are good, and they’re in the National Football League for a reason.

 

Q: That third touchdown you threw to Stefon Diggs, a lot of people are comparing it to a similar play Josh McDaniels had done in the past with Danny Amendola. It was a 2-point conversion in Super Bowl LI. Did you watch film on that? Was that a point of emphasis when you guys were working on that play at all? Had you seen that film?

 

DM: I had seen it. I think it was tied up – was it a tied up, maybe? Tied up at 28. But yeah, just try to dress it up in new ways. I think Coach [McDaniels] does a great job of pulling plays he’s had success with in the past, but I think we threw a similar one to Stef earlier on in the season out of a different formation. So, great job by Hunter [Henry] and Hoop [Austin Hooper], and a great call by Coach.

 

Q: One more thing on the MVP conversation. It’s you and Matthew Stafford. A lot of people are saying that. Have you ever spent any time with Matt? Have you talked to him at all? Have you connected with him over the years?

 

DM: I haven’t. Obviously, I saw him play here last year, and he was fun to watch. I just watch him on tape a lot; we have some crossover games, and man, he’s special with the football. The way he throws it and how he fits in tight windows. His no-look, and he’s got some swagger. So, I’m a big fan of his game. I know we played him last year and talked to him briefly after the game, but no, I probably should have went up to him before the game. I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time. Just talk about natural throwers, any platform, any angle, he does it at a really high level, and it’s been fun watching him.

 

 

 

 

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