Drake Maye continues to make strides when it comes to leadership, but Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel seems to believe the second-year quarterback has a ways to go.
“The expectation is that he’s leading this football team,” Vrabel said during a radio interview on WEEI on Monday. “That’s what the job of the head coach and the quarterback is. That’s pretty much how this thing goes. And that he can’t take days off.”
Vrabel recently credited Maye for showcasing leadership during New England’s summer break. Maye organized 95 percent of a trip to North Carolina with his pass-catching teammates, setting up on-field training sessions and off-field bonding. Vrabel called it a “large step” for the 22-year-old, who entered the NFL as a backup to captain Jacoby Brissett and thus toed a tricky line.
The coach’s recent commentary, however, seemingly asks for more consistency.
Patriots insiders Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry unpacked Vrabel’s comments during the Patriots Talk podcast. Neither Curran nor Perry believes it’s cause for concern, and instead view Vrabel’s sentiments as a challenge to Maye’s approach.
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“I just wonder if Vrabel looks at him as, ‘He has what it takes to be a good leader, but he’s not there yet. So I need to help him,'” Perry said. “It feels like he’s sort of pushing him in that direction.”
Perry cited numerous behind-the-scenes examples displayed through the media. The Patriots’ in-house docu-series titled “Forged In Foxborough,” for example, shows examples of Vrabel urging Maye to communicate and celebrate with teammates. Highlight reels promoted by the team have showcased some of the same.
“It feels like every time (Vrabel’s) on a microphone, he does take an opportunity to say something to Drake Maye,” Perry said. “‘Hey, you’ve got a minute here, go talk to your teammates in between plays.’ Or ‘Hey, you just scored a touchdown, go celebrate. You guys didn’t score enough of these last year, it’s really hard. You’ve got to go down there and show a little enthusiasm, a little excitement.’
“I think he’s force-feeding him these little mini leadership TED Talks because he wants him to grow in that regard,” Perry continued.
Maye is the youngest of four brothers and took over as the North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback at just 20 years old, as Perry noted. So it’s understandable he didn’t arrive as the ready-made vocal leader Vrabel is seeking. That’s not to say Maye won’t get there, though.
Vrabel might even ramp up the timeline.
Also in this episode:
Are Drake Maye’s turnovers cause for concern?
Breaking down how the offense looked on Day 14.
Will Patriots overcome struggles against Vikings?