The systems have undergone a complete overhaul at the New England Patriots. Gone are the days when Bill Belichick used to run the show. Mike Vrabel is the new head coach, who brought in long-time Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels from the Raiders. McDaniels’ career is entwined with the Pats. He replaced Bill O’Brien first in 2012 before getting replaced by him in 2023. Both have seen each other’s game plans very closely. So, with new QB Drake Maye in the system, O’Brien is the perfect judge.

And on the July 4 episode of NESN’s Foxboro Rush podcast, O’Brien, who exited alongside Belichick at the end of 2023, opened up about his expectations. The long-time coach predicted that Drake Maye isn’t walking into a simple system, and he’s not walking in with training wheels. The New England Patriots’ offense under new OC McDaniels is demanding by design. Quarterbacks aren’t just there to execute plays. They want Maye to diagnose, adjust, and dictate.

He said, “The reason why it’s demanding on the quarterback is because basically the quarterback in this system is an offensive coordinator on the field.“ This is an offense built on choice, variation, and post-snap reads. Quarterbacks are expected to recognize the disguise, not panic, and find the right audible without blinking. The fact that Maye is already taking on install work and helping others digest the playbook? That says a lot. More than most realize.

“He’s going to be able to, you know, get the play call and be able to get us into this play or have choices of what to do,” Bill O’Brien added.” And I think that’s what makes it so demanding to learn, because when you get out there on the field, we’re going to give you the keys to the car.”

The more Maye shows he can think like the staff, the more prominence he will gain in Foxborough. And make no mistake, the Patriots want to win it all with him when he’s ready. They’re just not rushing the timeline.

Drake Maye has all the tools to succeed

However, the former Patriots OC isn’t sugarcoating the learning curve either. This isn’t college anymore. It’s a system that exposes those who can’t process fast enough. “He can communicate with his teammates, and I think those are the qualities that’ll be required of him in this new system,” O’Brien added. Communication is the currency in Foxborough, and Maye’s already spending it.

The playbook doesn’t adjust to you, you adjust to the playbook. But that’s where Maye’s demeanor may quietly give him an edge. “The one thing that stands out right away about Drake is his personality. He’s very calm. He takes the game as it comes to him, like he’s not really a jumpy guy,” O’Brien said.

Of course, there’s still a long way to go. Training camp hasn’t started. Pads haven’t popped. Veteran defenders haven’t started disguising coverage with playoff-level misdirection. But Maye’s already absorbing the system like a veteran, that’s not typical. “He’s very calm as to how he approaches the game. He’s very instinctive. You can tell he’s a good communicator at the line of scrimmage with what they were doing last year.” That kind of calm? You can’t fake it.

In New England, where chaos often meets expectation, that temperament might be what keeps Maye standing when things inevitably get messy. Owner Robert Kraft is already under fire for the worst 2 seasons of his 31 seasons. Rookie quarterbacks often sit quietly and learn. But that period is well and truly over for Drake Maye. He’s already handling the responsibility to teach, adjust, communicate, and eventually command. And according to his coaches, he hasn’t blinked yet.

The keys are waiting. It’s just a matter of when and how confidently he starts the engine.