Peyton Manning threw 28 interceptions as a rookie in 1998, but the Indianapolis Colts never flinched. They knew patience was the key because his potential was obvious. New England Patriots star Drake Maye, however, is no longer a rookie. Drafted No. 3 overall in 2024, he is now a third-year quarterback and an MVP runner-up. Yet, a worrying number of turnovers in the first three games has prompted head coach Mike Vrabel to make an honest admission.
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“We turned the ball over,” Vrabel said on The Greg Hill Show. “We turned the ball over at a historic rate, and it’s ridiculous, and it’s an embarrassment.”
The 2025 season was the breakout season for Drake Maye in his second year. Apart from throwing for 4,394 passing yards in 17 regular-season games, Maye also completed 72.0% of his passes to break Tom Brady’s long-standing franchise record of 68.9% set during his 2007 season.
As a result, there were high expectations for the Patriots QB entering the 2026 season. However, the outcome has been somewhat concerning.
Maye has committed 12 total turnovers (7 interceptions and 5 fumbles total, 2 of which were fumbles lost) through six games of the ongoing season. Even though the Patriots QB hasn’t recorded any interceptions in the last two games, Mike Vrabel was seemingly embarrassed by the numbers they have already put up in terms of turnovers.
These statistics also stand as one of the reasons the Patriots suffered their two losses in the 2026 season so far. In the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, Drake Maye threw three interceptions in a game that they eventually lost 10-13.
Next up in Week 3, Maye followed with a similar performance where he racked up two interceptions and two fumbles against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They eventually ended up losing 6-35.
While the loss cannot be entirely blamed on the Patriots QB, many NFL analysts feel these silly mistakes have affected the output of the team.
“Drake Maye has not gone from awesome to average. He’s gone from awesome to horrible. Worst offense in the NFL with a bullet. The second-worst offense through three weeks this century is the New England Patriots,” Nick Wright of Fox Sports said earlier this month.
However, considering the Week 5 and Week 6 games of the Patriots, Drake Maye has seemingly worked on improving the turnover concerns. But that said, will he be able to maintain the consistency?
The last two games have been encouraging, but Maye still needs to prove he can avoid costly mistakes as the season goes on. The Patriots have already seen what he can do at his best. Now, he needs to deliver those performances without giving opponents easy chances to win games. Vrabel’s frustration is understandable, and the coming weeks will show whether Maye has put his early-season struggles behind him or still has work to do.