Patriots HC Jerod Mayo Sounds Off on Early Criticism of Drake Maye

The New England Patriots head coach sent a message out to the doubters.

Jul 24, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo walks to the podium for a press conference before training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Through the first week of New England Patriots training camp, we've already seen a fair share of chatter surrounding the team's rookie QB, Drake Maye, as he moves through the initial motions of his first year in the NFL. Everything good or bad from the third-overall pick is under a microscope, and many are ready to jump to conclusions after only a few days with pads on.

However, despite the outside noise filtering in, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has kept the ship steady when it comes to his rookie signal caller and his development:

During Patriots camp, Mayo spoke about the varying opinions surrounding New England's third-overall pick, effectively sending a strong bid of confidence towards the way of his rookie quarterback and ensuring his and the team's support around him:

"You know, look, people are going to have their opinions. I would say the opinions inside of the four walls matter most, and I would say the people inside the four walls know what they're talking about. So, you can take that for what it is. We all support Drake. We all know what it's like to be a rookie in this league. Not you guys, obviously, but I do. I know what it's like to be a rookie, and it's not all peaches and cream."

- Jerod Mayo on Drake Maye

As with any NFL season, it's not all perfect, and that reigns especially true when it comes to a rookie. Seeing some growing pains in a first-year player like Maye is both natural and necessary to get to the top, and it's an experience that Coach Mayo is all too familiar with.

Mayo turned back the clock to a moment in the middle of his rookie campaign back in 2008 to describe some of his growing pains, which inevitably resulted in a "wake-up call" and getting his performance back on track to a future All-Pro career:

"You probably remember this: San Francisco, my rookie year, I got benched on third down. I only played early downs because I just wasn't ready, and that was like Week 10, right? It was like Week 10, Week 11. But it was a wake-up call for me to get benched. I was [Defensive] Rookie of the Year, and I still got benched. So, whatever we want to talk about with Drake, there will be ups and downs, and hopefully it ends on an up."

- Jerod Mayo on Drake Maye, cont.

Maye has already shown improvements to display he's moving towards an upward trend through some recent camp practices on Thursday and Friday. Therefore, Patriots fans can hold off on pressing the panic button on their QB before he even takes a regular-season snap.

A long road lies ahead for the UNC product during his rookie season, with several ups and downs to come along the way. Good things come to those who wait, so fans must ensure they remain patient through the motions of what could be an unpredictable first year for Maye in this Patriots offense.

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