The NFL is a league of uncertainty, where the average career span is 3.3 years and players retire at 27.6 years of age. One injury, one mistake can change the trajectory of your career. This is where the NFLPA comes in. It takes care of players by raising issues about salaries, benefits, and safety. It includes even the retired veterans, too. That’s why the Patriots‘ QB, Drake Maye, becoming a part of the NFLPA matters.

Maye was already there as a starting quarterback. But now, he is also their “Alternate 3 Player Representative,” and the Patriots made one thing clear with this move. They trust their quarterback. With this move, the locker room is telling their 2024 first-rounder (3rd overall) that he needs to sit in the room where decisions are made.

According to the NFLPA’s post on X, “Serving as locker room liaisons, these players will play a key role this 2025-2026 season in continuing the union’s mission to improve the game for all player members.” Michael Onwenu leads the group. The 6’3”, 350-pound juggernaut from Michigan has anchored the Patriots’ offensive line since 2020. He has played more than 80 games, started more than 70, and signed a three-year, $57 million extension in 2024. He steadies the locker room and sets the tone. On the other hand, Marcus Jones is now the alternate 1.

His walk-off punt return against the Jets in 2022 remains one of the Patriots’ most electric moments. In 2023, he suffered an injury (torn labrum), but recovered in time. Last year, he logged 58 tackles, 10 passes defended, and one interception.

The alternate 2 spot is taken up by Mack Hollins. He brings veteran swagger. The receiver has played for five other franchises and owns a Super Bowl ring (LII). The Patriots signed him not just to make plays but to set a standard. Then comes Drake Maye.

In 2024, he started in 12 games, passing for 2,276 yards and rushing for 421 yards. Overall, in his rookie and sophomore years, he has shown leadership ability to his teammates, both on the field and in the locker room. But his responsibility has just increased, thanks to the head coach for the decision.

Mike Vrabel gives more responsibility to Drake Maye

The Patriots have a new leader. Mike Vrabel handed Drake Maye the captain’s “C” (a patch on his jersey) ahead of the season, a move that signals not only trust but also a new era. Maye, now in his second NFL season, joins Hunter Henry, Robert Spillane, Marcus Jones, Harold Landry III, and Brenden Schooler as team captains. In fact, this moment feels even bigger when you realize he’s the first Patriot taken in the top five since Drew Bledsoe back in 1993. That kind of history doesn’t just sit quietly; it follows into every field, every snap.

But he did not peak out of the blue. For the initial part of his rookie season, Maye learned from Jacoby Brissett. But a poor practice in week 10 forced him to take center stage. He addressed the offense, admitted his own errors, and demanded accountability. Consequently, the Patriots defeated the Bears by 19-3. From that moment forward, Maye stopped being just the sophomore quarterback.

Instead, he became the locker room’s voice. As a matter of fact, his leadership echoes lessons from childhood. His father, Mark Maye, a former UNC quarterback, encouraged him early on, “When we get in the huddle, encourage them. Say some things.” Furthermore, Vrabel reinforced that philosophy, urging Maye to invest in his teammates.

“The better you know somebody and understand who they’re playing for, and trying to support…..the better it is to work with them,” Vrabel emphasized. By the same token, Maye has made it a point to build relationships, sitting with different teammates at lunch and checking in away from Gillette Stadium. Equally important, his growth has translated to the field.

He completed 19 of 23 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns in the week 2 win over Miami. In fact, Christian Gonzalez praised his signal caller on the September 16 episode of the Good Morning Football podcast, “He’s speaking a lot more, using his voice more….The best thing for him is he always wants to get better.”

This captaincy is a turning point, besides him facing some harsh realities. Anyway, the sophomore QB is still getting ready for a turnaround year this time.