Drake Maye’s leadership shines through, despite tough beginnings, says patriots veteran

For the sixth time in seven games this season, the New England Patriots suffered a devastating loss.

But similar to the Week 6 defeat to the Houston Texans, there was one positive takeaway.

And that was Drake Maye.

Not only did the quarterback show promise on the football field, but it was his leadership that truly stood out. Kendrick Bourne emphasized this when speaking with reporters after the game.

“I wasn’t catching the ball in the beginning,” Bourne explained. “Drake came over to me and was like, ‘I got to get you the ball.’

“And I was like, ‘Wow, that’s dope.’ He makes me feel like he understands. I don’t know how he knows that. So for him to say that, it shows the kind of person, the quarterback, he is.”

Maye truly cares about his teammates, wanting to get each and every one involved. That was proven when he located nine different guys during the game on Sunday.

“Everybody being involved is important to him,” Bourne added. “He does a good job.”

So to have him saying this to a veteran player like Bourne shows that he’s a natural leader and isn’t letting the team’s struggles get him down.

Because of this, it makes Bourne and the other players want to go out there and play even harder for their quarterback.

“Absolutely. It shows his heart,” he said. “It shows his mentality and that he’s a team player. He understands, especially as a receiver, it’s hard to stay engaged when you’re not touching the ball. So the fact that he can understand that so young shows potential.”

The rookie quarterback went 26-for-37 for 276 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. It’s his career high in passing yards, surpassing his total of 243 yards from last week.

Jerod Mayo was also very complimentary of Maye despite being very critical of the overall team performance.

“I think Drake did a good job, especially starting the game off fast,” the head coach said. “He made some good throws. He made some plays with his legs.

While there are many holes in the Patriots’ roster right now, it’s clear that quarterback isn’t one of them. And if these early days are any indication, Maye has the capability to be an incredible asset for New England both on and off the field.