Coming off a dominating 31-13 win over the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel opened up about the quarterback Drake Maye during his recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. The quarterback has been one of the most talked-about in New England.

When host Rich Eisen used the quote from former quarterback Curt Warner referring to Maye as “the best deep thrower in the National Football League today,” Vrabel said, “I’m not going to say that we’re the best at anything yet because we’re not.”

He continued, “But we hit some balls down the field and he’s put them in good spots. Guys have done a nice job of going and taking care of the football and getting it in traffic, whether that’s down the field or contested catches.”

Vrabel’s approach was built on Maye’s performance on Sunday against Tennessee. The quarterback was 21-of-23 for 222 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Maye also contributed 62 rushing yards on eight carries.

“I think there is an athleticism to him that’s really, really cool,” Vrabel said after the game. “He’s really accurate from all different spots — whether it’s in the pocket or off platform. He’s really done a nice job so far spreading the football around.”

Vrabel stated. “He kept talking about he wanted to earn it. I told him he’s earned it. … I think guys respond to him and the things he says, and the way he operates.”

Maye’s numbers against Tennessee also showed his sharp understanding of the Patriots’ offense. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, he set a franchise single-game mark by completing 91.3 percent of his attempts (with over 20 attempts). His plus-24.4 completion percentage led all quarterbacks during Week 8. He is the only quarterback this season with two touchdown passes that had 50 or more air yards.

Drake Maye has been remarkably efficient this season, completing 75.2% of his passes for 1,744 yards and 12 touchdowns, boasting an impressive 116.4 passer rating, showcasing his growth as a poised and accurate signal-caller.

However, there’s one area where he has work to do, minimizing the number of hits that he takes. His performance is being highly compared to the franchise legend, Tom Brady. But the head coach thinks otherwise.

Vrabel’s take on Maye’s comparison

When Rich Eisen inquired of him if Maye resembled Tom Brady during his initial seasons, Vrabel laughed. “No, he doesn’t drive a yellow Jeep to work. So, I would say that’s one thing that’s different,” he joked before going on more seriously, “I don’t think it is even accurate. I do love Drake’s youthful energy. You know, 23 years old. My god, I got kids that are 23 years old. That’s been fun to have that energy around here.”

While Vrabel rejected the Brady comparisons, the numbers were hard to ignore. Against the Titans, Maye completed 16 consecutive passes, second in franchise history only to Brady’s 19 straight in 2015 and Mac Jones’ 19 in 2021. It was yet another sign of Maye’s growing comfort in the Patriots’ system and his emerging poise under pressure.

After the win, Maye himself reflected on areas where he could still improve. “I left some out there; I ended up running that I could have thrown,” he said. “I tucked it a couple times when I shouldn’t have, and I think maybe can get to the backside of the progression more.”

With Vrabel still guiding a young Patriots roster, his message remains the same: gradual improvement, not comparison to previous greatness. And with Drake Maye’s path currently set, the Patriots may have finally unearthed their answer at quarterback, someone who is creating his own trajectory as opposed to chasing an imitation of the past.