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Drake Maye Unveils Patriots’ New Culture Under Mike Vrabel

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Daniel Arwas | Last updated May 1, 2025 8:42 PM ET

The New England Patriots feel like a very different team than they were a year ago when Jerod Mayo was promoted to head coach to replace the outgoing Bill Belichick.

Now with their franchise quarterback in place and numerous upgrades the offense in both free agency and the draft; Stefon Diggs, Will Campbell and Tre'Veyon Henderson amongst many others - New England looks ready to start to compete for the first time in years.

And it seems as if second year quarterback, Drake Maye, agrees with that assessment as he had a very clear message when asked about head coach, Mike Vrabel, in a press conference on Thursday.

"Have your head on a swivel and get to work” Maye said to reporters.

Mike Vrabel was not just hired due to his ties with the Patriots organization, having played under Bellichick in New England from 2001-2008, winning three Super Bowl rings in the process. Vrabel is that rare blend of strong culture setter and meticulous planner, who makes excellent in-game adjustments and utilizes the clock well at crunch time in critical games.

However, as Maye notes, Vrabel is also a demanding coach who will not let players consistently show up late or slack off, as some rival AFC East teams have been known to allow.

After a rookie season in which Maye's play vastly outshone the Patriots' performance as a whole, the pressure will be stepped up on the former UNC signal caller heading into year two, now that he has a seasoned head coach and a more robust offensive setup at his disposal.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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