Drake Maye was the face of the Patriots’ surprise success last season. According to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the quarterback has improved even further during the offseason.

The turnaround the New England Patriots achieved last season was nothing short of impressive. The main reason for this was the explosive performance of quarterback Drake Maye.

After a promising rookie season, the 23-year-old stepped up significantly in his second NFL season and finished just one vote behind Matthew Stafford in the MVP voting.

If Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels is to be believed, Maye has taken his game to the next level in recent months: “This offseason is different from the last one,” explained the 50-year-old.

New England Patriots: Drake Maye “has a great attitude”

“Last offseason, we were just getting to know the language and learning how to move within an offensive system. This year, we’re trying to build on that and then move on to the next phase, the next level—in his case, of course, that’s the quarterback position. He knows a hell of a lot more than he did this time last year,” McDaniels emphasized.

He continued: “He has a great attitude. It’s a ton of fun to be around him every day. It’s just as much fun as last year, but it’s an even more intense version.”

Maye was drafted third overall in 2024 and entered his first NFL season as the backup behind Jacoby Brissett. After just one win in five games and the league’s worst offense statistically, he was named the starter in Week 6.

After the Patriots finished the season with a 4-13 record, a surprising turnaround followed last season: In the end, the franchise made it all the way to the Super Bowl, where they ultimately lost decisively to the Seattle Seahawks (13-29).

New England Patriots sign two new top receivers for Drake Maye

This offseason, the franchise has placed a major focus on providing their quarterback with additional targets: With Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown, two top receivers have joined New England.

Brown’s profile, in particular, is a perfect fit for the 23-year-old’s deep passes. However, these reinforcements are also urgently needed, considering that the Patriots will have one of the toughest schedules in the league next season.

Then Drake Maye can prove that his strong season, including a second-place finish in the MVP voting, was anything but a fluke.