New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye found himself stunned when offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels referenced a concept he once developed with Tom Brady. The moment reportedly left Maye “in awe,” highlighting just how deeply McDaniels’ Brady-era influence continues to shape the Patriots’ new offensive identity.
#Patriots QB Drake Maye is in awe when OC Josh McDaniels proposes a thing that he worked on with Tom Brady, per @JamesPalmerTV:
"Drake looks at him and goes, 'Wait, you think that highly of me? That, yeah, you did that with Tom; you want to do that with me?'"
(🎥: @NBCSBoston) pic.twitter.com/GMGeG2OciA
— New England Sports Fellow (@NESportsFellow) October 31, 2025
Josh McDaniels’ System Turning Drake Maye Into a Brady-Like Field General
New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady
Jan 20, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and head coach Bill Belichick after the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Josh McDaniels’ return to New England has rapidly elevated Drake Maye’s growth into one of the league’s most promising young passers. Despite lacking a conventional No. 1 wide receiver, Maye has guided an offense built on precision, rhythm, and collective execution. This structure mirrors the balance and efficiency of the Brady-led Patriots.
The Patriots’ passing attack now runs through multiple contributors. Stefon Diggs, Pop Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, and Hunter Henry share the workload. This distribution has not only kept the offense unpredictable but also sharpened Maye’s mental processing. His 75% completion rate reflects both improved accuracy and an evolved command of McDaniels’ system.
Maye thrives by dissecting coverages and finding open targets rather than relying on star power. McDaniels’ approach and deep-level progressions ensure Maye stays efficient and dangerous from the pocket. His poise under pressure and ability to layer throws have made him one of the AFC’s early MVP-caliber performers.
The Patriots’ “no true WR1” design has become a developmental masterstroke. It has pushed Maye to operate as a distributor first, quarterback second, the same method that helped Tom Brady build an unparalleled career under McDaniels. That’s why Maye’s astonishment at being mentioned alongside Brady carries deeper meaning: he’s now executing the same offensive DNA that defined two decades of Patriots dominance.
The moment sparked a quick conversation online, with fans offering mixed reactions to Maye’s progress.
One fan praised the young QB, writing,“Well done Drake.”
Another boldly declared,“Maye is already better than Brady.”
Others credited McDaniels’ impact, saying,“Josh’s ability to develop QB’s needs to be studied!”
Yet, not all were impressed;one critic said,“This makes Maye sound like a five year old,” while another dismissed it as simply“Cringe.”
Whether inspired or skeptical, the football world agrees on one point: Drake Maye is learning fast under McDaniels, and the Patriots’ newest signal-caller might just be writing the first chapter of a modern Foxborough revival.