The New England Patriots made some significant overhauls to their coaching staff this offseason, but the one addition that clearly shines above the rest is Mike Vrabel, coming in to be the franchise's next head coach.
After a brutal 4-13 record and a one-and-done campaign from former head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots are hoping that the addition of Vrabel onto the sidelines will help right the ship of an operation that went off the rails a bit the deeper this team got into the season.
And while it's still early, both fans and players alike are excited to see what Vrabel can bring to a team eager to return to high competition.
One of those players who's seemingly ready for the new challenges ahead is Patriots quarterback Drake Maye –– who spoke a bit about his short time with Vrabel early in the offseason, and what type of expectations he has from his new coach.
“He reached out to me and we got on the phone. He’s been awesome," Maye said. "Obviously, [he’s] a guy who’s done it, played in the league and won a Super Bowl. You have a respect of what he’s done and seen what he’s done. I think the biggest thing is he’s been a head coach, and he knows what it’s like. So excited to get up to New England and get things going.”
For a young, budding star like Maye, having a gritty, smart, and experienced coach to lead the way will be a significant aid for his development and future prospects in the league.
Despite the hardships faced throughout, Maye had a strong first season under center in New England. He finished his rookie campaign with a 66.6% completion rate on 2,276 yards passing, throwing 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. And with only 12 starts under his belt so far, the room for improvement in year two and onwards remains vast.
Maye looks pumped up to get his preparation for next season underway with his new coach, which can hopefully lead to some further steps forward in his development, and more importantly, more wins on the board.
