Patriots' Drake Maye Seemingly Throws Shade at Jerod Mayo

Did New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye just throw some shade at former head coach Jerod Mayo?

Jan 30, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; AFC quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws the ball during the Passing the Test event at the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge at Nicholson Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jerod Mayo lasted just one season with the New England Patriots before being fired, and it doesn't seem like any of his now-former players are coming to his defense.

That includes quarterback Drake Maye, who appeared to throw some shade at Mayo when discussing new head coach Mike Vrabel this week.

When asked about Vrabel's hard-nosed mentality, Maye said he would embrace it and hinted that he didn't really experience that in 2024.

“For me as a player, especially as a quarterback, you want that. You like that,” Maye told Phil Perry of NBC Sports. “You want to be coached hard. We’re playing at the highest level, but we still want to be coached. I think that’s the biggest thing people get away from. We don’t know everything. Especially me, just finished my rookie year and coming into my second season, I don’t know everything. I want to be coached hard. I know Coach (Josh) McDaniels will get that done and Coach Vrabel, (too). Some of our guys, including me, we probably need that — a little hard coaching.”

Now, Maye obviously didn't take a direct shot at Mayo here, but it's not hard to read between the lines, especially considering it would not be the first time that we heard Mayo didn't exactly create a winning environment in New England's locker room.

Whatever the case may be, Vrabel has absolutely experienced success as an NFL head coach, as he went 54-45 in six seasons with the Tennessee Titans between 2018 and 2023, leading them to a couple of AFC South division titles and three playoff appearances.

Vrabel's best season with the Titans came during the 2019-20 campaign, when he guided them all the way to the AFC Championship Game.

We'll see if Vrabel can help bring Maye and the rest of the team along in 2025.

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