The New England Patriots are currently in major football talks as they sit on a massive 13-3 win-loss record. Having already clinched a playoff spot this season, their QB, Drake Maye, has a great chance of being the MVP this season. However, it seems like the team’s offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, isn’t focused on clinching the title, as he believes that the quarterback might only rise if the overall team performance stays intact. The 49-year-old believes the MVP award would be a team success and not an individual achievement.

“I’d vote for Patriots,” McDaniels said in a recent press conference. “They just can’t do it alone. This is not golf. There’s no way that any of those players deserve that award without the recognition of the guys that are out there on the field with them.”

Drake Maye has surged to the top of the 2025 NFL MVP race after a pivotal shift in momentum. Following a three-interception performance by Matthew Stafford on “Monday Night Football,” bookmakers and analysts have flipped the MVP odds in Maye’s favor. Maye’s recent five-touchdown outing in the 42-10 victory over the New York Jets, where he completed 19 of 21 passes for 256 yards, resulted in a big-game impact.

However, Maye’s bid wasn’t about just one night, as the ongoing season saw consistently strong performance from the Patriots’ QB. This also helped the team secure a 13-3 record and an AFC East title. Reflecting McDaniels’ thoughts, the overall offensive unit has registered exceptional numbers this season.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has been the Patriots’ primary target. He caught 82 receptions for 970 yards and four touchdowns, providing consistent downfield production. Mack Hollins also contributed 46 receptions for 550 yards and two scores, while role players like DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte also added depth to New England’s passing game.

Josh McDaniels discusses Drake Maye’s notable growth

The 2025 season saw a massive breakout for Drake Maye as he doubled his numbers compared to the rookie season. Amid the exceptional growth, his head coach, Josh McDaniels, stepped forward to express pride in the notable rise, making it clear that the quarterback learned from every “situation and circumstance”. The admission came following the team’s commendable 42-10 win over the New York Jets.

“We’ve talked about how much he has learned from each situation and circumstance. And a lot of these things, he’s experiencing for the first time,” McDaniels said in a recent press conference.

“What I’m most impressed and excited about is how much he grows from a good or bad experience. When he has a good one, I think that it reinforces the things that he’s done right. And then he continues to do those things the right way. And then when we get challenged with some adversity, or we make a mistake, or experience something that we haven’t before, he’s such a good learner.”

Drake Maye’s MVP case is built on production, efficiency, and team success. He has thrown for 4,203 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just 8 interceptions, while leading the Patriots to a 13–3 record and an AFC East title. Maye ranks near the top of the NFL in completion percentage (71.7%), QBR (76.5), and passer rating (112.9). His five-touchdown, 19-of-21 performance against the Jets solidified his status as the league’s leading MVP favorite.