When New England Patriots Head Coach took the job, he said he was committed to building a new culture in Foxborough. Looks like he already has. He's winning games, and he's getting the adulation of his players, including his precocious young quarterback, Drake Maye, who says, "We love playing for him." It shows. Maye is tearing the top off the NFL in his second season.
While, frankly, some of that can be brushed off as fluff, when your team is 9-2 after 11 games, after winning only four (one a costly gift) in 2024, something's going right. Vrabel has indeed instilled a winning culture, and usually, when you're winning. "Everything is beautiful."
Regardless, it seems that Vrabel has changed the atmosphere around Gillette Stadium, and whatever he's doing, it's working. Also, getting your young quarterback, who just happens to find himself in the NFL's MVP conversation, to echo that sentiment is frosting on the cake.
Mike Vrabel gets a nice kudo from Drake Maye
Saying nice things about your coach never hurts. Yet, when you're the quarterback of an NFL team that's won eight games in a row, the necessity or inclination to do so is lessened.
Regardless, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye isn't mincing words about how he and his teammates feel about playing for Mike Vrabel every week.
#Patriots QB Drake Maye on HC Mike Vrabel:
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) November 19, 2025
“We love playing for him. Every week we look forward to playing for Coach… I think it’s cool when you share that in common — wanting to win, and wanting to win bad, and wanting to do whatever it takes.”
(🎙️@WEEIAfternoons) pic.twitter.com/LgAP3g5Ts4
One thing is certain: no matter what any Patriot says, there's no argument about Vrabel's competence, enthusiasm, and excitement in his role as the Patriots' Head Coach. Evident in every game and on almost every play is that Vrabel loves his job. Patriot Nation should be happy because he's doing it very, very well in his first season in Foxborough.
Having Drake Maye on board is key to winning
Drake Maye is a poised and impressive young man who carries himself well both on and off the field. His unflappable demeanor, whether his team is up or down, embodies professionalism. He's cool enough to understand that as the quarterback, and de facto leader of the whole on-field operation, he has to keep his head in the game no matter what the situation. And he does just that.
Vrabel knew before he took the Patriots' Head Coaching job exactly what he was getting in Drake Maye. Recently, he again said that his familiarity with the Patriots and having Maye on hand were two reasons why he accepted the offer to coach the Patriots. That made perfect sense.
He knew Maye had had a stellar rookie season despite what myopic critics said or the team's ultimate record. Maye played superbly as a rookie in 2024, was named to the Pro Bowl, and his 66 percent completion percentage presaged much more to come. Vrabel knew that when he had an actual competent NFL supporting cast around him, Maye would dazzle. He got him those better players and crafted a winner in one offseason.
The Head Coach then infused the returning 2024 players and the new players with his infectious enthusiasm. He made it clear early on that the goal was to de-throne the Buffalo Bills from the top of the AFC East, and that's exactly what his team is on the way to doing. So, it should be no shock that Maye and his teammates are excited to play for Vrabel, none at all.