Brace yourself – for the classic “passing of the torch” moment. The kind where a young QB truly takes over and stops being just a new kid. Like finds his voice in a locker room filled with grown men who probably still call him “rook.” And that moment for Drake Maye came in week 10 – when he decided it was time to take the reins in New England. 

But let’s be clear – this didn’t happen on the spur of the moment. It’s because of the lessons drilled into him since childhood by none other than his father, Mark Maye, a former QB himself.

Drake Maye wasn’t just any rookie. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He began his rookie season behind veteran Jacoby Brissett, a team captain and respected leader. Plus, he was the designated “QB of the future” for the New England Patriots. But titles don’t get respect just like that, do they? It has to be earned. 

So, Maye made a decision, after a messy practice in Week 10. He asked Alex Van Pelt, the offensive coordinator, if he could address the entire offense. But before pointing fingers, he decided to hold himself accountable first. As he had dropped a snap during practice and the offensive line struggled in pass protection—the whole unit had been making mental mistakes. The speech he gave – “10 out of 10” according to a fellow rookie, Ja’Lynn Polk. And even Guard Mike Onwenu called Maye “beyond his years.”

And his speech did wonders. The Patriots followed up with a dominant 19-3 win over the Bears – the Patriots only double-digit victory of the season. But this wasn’t Maye’s newfound leadership. He was prepared for this since he was a 6-year-old in Huntersville, North Carolina. His coach? His father, Mark Maye. “Listen Drake, you’ve got ‘em. When we get in the huddle, encourage them. Say some things. Nothing earth-shattering, but always really encouraged him be a leader,” Mark told his son.

Now, as his father watches him, Drake Maye isn’t just another rookie trying to find his footing – he’s the guy who stepped up for a struggling Patriots squad. New England was desperately searching for stability in their center with a 4-13 season. Maye has already shown flashes of why he is the QB of the future. The former UNC standout, who threw for over 8,000 yards and 63 touchdowns in college, is proving he’s got more than just arm talent—he’s got the leadership to command a locker room. 

And his father couldn’t be more proud. “Just watching him – not only a leader in the household, but a leader in sports in general,” Maye said in November. “The way that he approached forcing me at a young age to get in the huddle, say something to the team, or break the team down… He introduced his boys to what it takes to lead.”

While Maye was busy figuring out how to lead an NFL team, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had his own message for the young QB. It was simple: leadership isn’t about just giving orders, it’s about earning trust. Building those relationships. Knowing your guys and making sure they know you. After all, if you’re going to get grown men to listen to you, they need to believe in you first. 

Vrabel sets the bar high for Drake Maye

Now, Year 2 is here, and the Patriots are now Drake Maye’s team. Jacoby Brissett is gone – packed his bags and off to Arizona. That means this season Maye won’t just be a QB in the team – he’s the starting QB. And the role comes rolled in some pretty heavy expectations.

Enter Mike Vrabel, a no-nonsense head coach. Who has been around enough locker rooms to know what it takes to be a commander in an NFL locker room. And his first lesson for Maye? Be the guy your teammates actually want to follow. 

“You just have to invest time,” Vrabel said. “The biggest thing is being able to include everybody. When you include everybody, you get to know them. Quarterbacks are afforded a lot of privilege around town. They go to restaurants, they go to games, and I said, ‘Hey, always remember that you can always invite other people that may be outside of your immediate group and use those as experiences and get to know players you may not know right now.’”

And you have to trust Vrabel because he has seen this firsthand. He played alongside Tom Brady, after all. Before becoming the head coach, he was a part of the New England Patriots dynasty and had a front-row seat to the legendary Tom Brady. From 2001 to 2008, Vrabel and Brady were teammates. Not just teammates, they won three Super Bowls together – turning the Patriots into one of the most dominant franchises in the NFL.

So, he’s giving Maye the lessons he learned from the best. “It’s something I felt like Tom did, and I don’t want to be like, ‘Oh be Tom Brady,’” Vrabel said. “I’m just saying players that I’ve been around were like, ‘Hey let’s go to this game. Let’s go to the Celtics. Let’s go to the Red Sox. You can use those avenues…’ he has to lead in his own way. But again, the better you know somebody, the better you can hold him accountable.”

But in the end, it’s all about what Maye takes and implements from these lessons. Because now that the ball is in his court—no more hiding behind a veteran QB. And if his rookie season has proved anything, it’s that – he’s here to stay and lead. He has been preparing for it since his childhood, from an age when kids hardly understand anything beyond eating, playing and sleeping.