The 2025 New England Patriots are an NFL Cinderella story. After two years at the bottom of the AFC East, the team has now won 10 games in a row and is streaking towards a possible AFC East title and maybe more. Drake Maye, who's now looked upon as an MVP favorite, leads the revamped offense.
The catalyst for both the Patriots and Drake Maye being where they are is Head Coach Mike Vrabel. He's not only a candidate for the NFL's Coach of the Year award, but should also be considered for the NFL's Executive of the Year.
Vrabel is the master builder who revamped a 2024 roster that was about 50 percent dilapidated and upgraded his offense to allow his now MVP-level quarterback to thrive. He did the same on defense, keeping the opposition from scoring. Vrabel's offseason brilliance translated into the Patriots and Drake Maye's success. They are inseparably intertwined.
Drake Maye has taken the NFL by storm in just his second season
Mike Vrabel took the Patriots' job partly because he had Drake Maye as his quarterback. The quarterback is the one essential ingredient without which you can't be a big-time NFL winner. Vrabel knew he had not only a good one, but a transcendent one in Maye. It was totally obvious to the true NFL professional, Vrabel, while it wasn't to other observers.
CBS Sports' latest quarterback power rankings provide solid confirmation of his valuation. There's a new MVP leader, and his name is Drake Maye.
"Say hello to your MVP favorite. In Year 2, Maye looks like the most confident passer in the game. He's averaging almost 9 yards per throw, elevating every piece of the Patriots' upstart attack. (+1)"
Casual observers may have seen Maye's 2024 performance and his team's 4-13 record as indicative of Maye's lack of ability. Vrabel knew that Maye's performance was actually brilliant, despite having a bottom-of-the-NFL supporting cast.
Mike Vrabel's rebuilt offense has allowed Drake Maye to flourish
The new Head Coach knew instinctively that all Drake Maye needed was a capable offensive line and some quality wide receivers to succeed. Maye's 2024, with a woeful offensive line and no No. 1 or No. 2 receivers on hand, were illuminating. Vrabel went to work immediately to change things.
He rebuilt the O-line with four new starters, or 80 percent turnover. He added two veteran starters, Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury, and then drafted two starters, Will Campbell and Jared Wilson. Then he signed two top veteran free-agent receivers, Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, to add to the solid tight end Hunter Henry. Both elevated the unit significantly. He also drafted explosive receiver Kyle Williams, who is now shining after being given an opportunity.
The rest has been Drake Maye's doing. In 13, 2025 games, he's now transformed from a promising rookie to a possible MVP with a solid (though not spectacular) cast around him. There may not be another Pro Bowler (though Diggs and tight end Hunter Henry are in the running) on the offense.
Regardless, Maye has excelled and is on his way to achieving some lofty expectations. And to date, he still has only 25 NFL career starts.
The Patriots have another MVP in Drake Maye
Maye leads the NFL in completion percentage at 71.5 percent, passing yards with 3412 yards, and quarterback rating at 111.9. Those are MVP stats, though he's been sacked 40 times and pressured another 104.
Still, he's thrown for 23 touchdowns with only six interceptions and averages 8.8 yards per attempt. He's also run for 319 yards with an average of 3.9 yards per run and added two more touchdowns on the ground.
If Maye continues with similar numbers in his last four games, and his team achieves one or more of its lofty goals, he will likely win the NFL's MVP Award. It's expected that both he and the team will do just that.
Regardless, in the first year of a rebuild with stop-gap solutions in several positions, Maye has taken the top off the NFL, and may win the MVP Award in the process. One can imagine what he will do when he has a superior supporting cast.
This prospect has to be as positively frightening to the rest of the NFL as it is amazingly delightful for Patriot Nation. The Patriots are back, and the good news is, the fun is just beginning. Drake Maye is only 23 years old.