Drake Maye Explains How Bill Belichick's Influence Has Remained With Patriots

Belichick's legend lives on inside the Gillette Stadium walls.

Maye is headed into his second season with the Patriots. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

While the New England Patriots are already onto their second head coach in two years after parting ways with Bill Belichick, the 72-year-old's impact on the organization still looms large inside the building.

In a recent appearance on Chris Long's Green Light podcast, New England's second-year quarterback Drake Maye explained how:

"For sure," the 22-year-old answered when asked if they still feel Belichick's in Foxborough. "I think the 'Patriots Way,’ the practicing in whatever weather, lifting hard and lifting hard during the week, and in-season [or] out of season it doesn't matter we're running sprints, running the hills, I think that's still kind of the 'Patriot Way.’ The hard work works. I think that is what his staple was, and what he left on the organization. I think a lot of coaches—especially since we've kinda stayed inside the Patriots tree, as you call it, coaching-wise—have kind of embraced that."

🚨DRAKE MAYE🚨

- New England Patriots
- Peyton Manning
- HC Mike Vrabel
- Acclimating to the NFL
- The Maye Brothers
- Play-calls and Maddenhttps://t.co/SdUlcqbt34 pic.twitter.com/9DqKOTUa1X

— Green Light with Chris Long (@greenlight) February 20, 2025

Maye also noted that despite the two just missing each other in New England, they have since crossed paths. Belichick is now the head coach at North Carolina—Maye's alma mater—and the quarterback told Long that the two met in person recently in Chapel Hill.

"I got to meet Coach Belichick," the signal caller said. "He was cool. He was awesome."

Surely a cool moment between Tar Heels past and present.

Despite the Patriots notching just a 4-13 record last season, Maye finished his rookie campaign throwing for 2,276 yards, scoring 17 total touchdowns, and being named a Pro Bowl alternate. Under new head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, many expect him to make a sizeable Year 2 leap.

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