When it was made clear that Mike Vrabel would not be retaining the Patriots' offensive coordinator from the 2024 season, Alex Van Pelt, there were many concerns about who would be his replacement and how good of a fit they'd be for quarterback Drake Maye. Because he is expected to be treated as the top priority this offseason, he is expected to be the face of the franchise, so hiring the right person for who he works closest with is imperative.
Not many names were floated as potential candidates for the job besides old friend Josh McDaniels, who had been out of the NFL since he was abruptly fired by the Raiders in 2023. Although he was a well-respected figure in New England, many analysts and fans were hoping for someone not connected to the team for the role.
Given the options, though, Mike Vrabel decided to hire McDaniels to take over his long-tenured role as the Patriots' offensive coordinator, and the immediate reaction from players was positive. It took a while to hear from Maye, but he seemed to be on board with the decision.
However, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Maye had stronger feelings behind the scenes about the hire.
Drake Maye was reportedly rooting for the Patriots to hire Josh McDaniels
During an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger & Mazz earlier this week, Rapoport discussed the Patriots' decision to re-hire McDaniels, as it has been deemed a bit controversial since it was announced a few weeks ago.
Besides the rumor that Robert Kraft forced McDaniels into Vrabel's staff being completely untrue, there was also talk about Maye's feelings on the matter, which Rapoport claims was far more exciting than what he led on during an interview at the Pro Bowl.
In fact, the insider claims Maye was "rooting for" McDaniels to be the guy because of his history with Tom Brady.
.@RapSheet says Drake Maye was “absolutely rooting for” Josh McDaniels to be the #Patriots’ OC and he was “extremely excited” when it happened.
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) February 11, 2025
“I know Drake Maye was for sure rooting for this. If you’re Drake Maye, and you’d like to be a very good quarterback, having the guy… pic.twitter.com/EWjdtVnQ1o
Because he helped put together some of the most impressive offense's during the Patriots dynasty years and worked so closely with the legendary quarterback, it's hard to argue that McDaniels isn't the right guy to help develop Maye in New England.
It makes total sense why Maye would be thrilled to work with him and get the chance to pick the brain of one of the best offensive coordinators the NFL has ever seen. Who better to learn from than the guy who worked with Brady for nearly two decades?
On top of that, McDaniels is said to have worked closely with a few colleges during his time away from the league to learn more about current offensive schemes and make changes to his playbook, which will immediately positively impact Maye. He's a different kind of player than Brady, but not in a bad way, and incorporating how he sees the game with McDaniels could be another match made in heaven.
It's good to see Maye be excited about the hire, especially after how the last five years have gone for the Patriots offensively. Some of the decisions were questionable and led to a dumpster fire offense, even under Belichick, so Maye looking forward to McDaniels, along with some of his teammates, is a great way to start the 2025 offseason.