TRANSCRIPT: Drake Maye Press Conference 8/13

Here’s the full transcript of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye’s press conference for Tuesday August 13, 2024:

On what he takes out of making progressions and everything else, and what he takes out of his first joint practice:

“Yeah, I think it was fun. It was fun for us as a team to get to hit, put on pads, and hit another team. That’s the best part about it, going against somebody else, suited up in the same color jerseys, and just getting after it. I think a lot of learn. That’s the best thing about joint practice. You go watch the film, you learn from it. A lot of different looks. I didn’t study them much just because trying to feel it out there. Coming into the preseason game, study them a little more, and just have fun.”

On the challenges that come with playing with an offensive line where there’s some shifting parts, guys moving in and out:

“I think it’s part of it. I don’t think it changed my job. I got to go in there, hang in there, make the right reads, and just sit back there and kind of treat it like anything else. Treat it the same. I think you can’t worry about those guys. They’re all, whoever’s in there, they’re fighting hard, and I’m just trying to do my job.”

On what’s the takeaway there at the end of the two-minute drill, obviously, it wasn’t how he wanted it to go and what he sort of walks away saying:

“First of all, I got to get the ball out early downs, you can’t take sacks in two-minute. Whether I’m feeling something, whether it’s from the backside or whatever, I got to get the ball out. And then other than that, just try to find completions. Whether it’s hitting the back, try to do something, try to get us moving. So, that’s the biggest thing.”

On how he thinks he did overall today:

“Yeah, I think like ups and downs. I think seven on [seven]. I think I threw the football well. First-team period was okay. Then down here in the red zone, I could have made a better throw to JP [Ja’Lynn Polk] down here on the slot fade. But other than that, some great reps, great reps to learn from. A great defense. They do a good job. Just some big dudes up front and some different looks. So, it’s just a great learning experience.”

On when he says to take things, learn through them and get better, how much does he look forward to that, and what kind of things can he takes just off the top of his head, not just watching the film:

“Yeah, no doubt. I think Coach Mayo preaches one play and one play to the next. Don’t be a repeat error guy. Coach Mayo always says that. Especially as a quarterback, it’s obvious when you do the same thing twice in a row wrong. Try not to be that guy and just try to… Next time I get a rep I like that, try to make the right read.”

On Jerod Mayo saying he’s going to play more in the second preseason game and his mentality when he hears that:

“Yeah, I’m excited to get out there. Excited to get out with those guys, try to make some plays. I’m going to suit up. I don’t know how much I’m going to play, but I’m going to go out there and play until they take me out.”

On what the balance is in his mind when there’s things they have him working on, as well as his processing, while also making sure he takes those into account, but also just playing instinctively:

“I think that’s a great question. I think there’s a few reminders, kind of for each play or each set of plays or this drop, the reminders that I kind of take in each play. From there, like you said, just play. Play like I’ve always played. I’ve been playing tackle football since I was seven years old, so just go out there and play.”

On how he feels when they’re playing Jay-Z ‘Public Service Announcement’ while they were working on 11-on-11:

“Yeah, I know, I heard that a little bit. I thought that was pretty cool. I think we had a good set, so they may play that song a little more.”

On the fact Jerod Mayo said you wanted to treat today like a game day, there was a scoreboard out there, and his impressions:

“Yeah, I think it kind of felt like a game day coming into today. That’s the biggest thing. I was telling guys around the locker, man, I said, ‘Man, it feels like a game coming out here.’ So I think there’s both sides. I think it’s a joint practice. We may get them this play, they may get us the next. Other than two-minute, which I thought two-minute, you kind of win and lose. You got us in two-minute. Other than that, I think it’s a back and forth.”

On finding trust with with guys in the offense:

“I think that’s kind of one of those things where you kind of get in the games and that guy emerges. When the pads are on and games matter, I think that guy kind of emerges in the first couple of weeks. I think all the guys, KJ [Osborn], Boutte [Kayshon Boutte], and [Javon] Baker, and [Ja’Lynn] Polk, they all can go up and make plays, Tyquan [Thornton]. So just kind of see which one does in the game, and you kind of find that.

On what’s it been like adjusting to NFL level pass rushing, and just the speed that they bring:

“Yeah, no doubt. I think you got to be quick. I think you got to play fast, but play smart at the same time. You can’t just force something. Just getting used to it. There’s some big dudes. Jordan Davis from Charlotte, so I played him in high school, so good to see him out here. Like I said, some big dudes and just trying to get used to it, feel it out, and just got to… Kind of really trust the guys up front because our guys fight hard and do a great job.”

On what he likes about Jalen Hurts’ game while trying to get the bounce, and get to a point where he’s not thinking, and how close does he think he is to that:

“I think it’s hard to guage. I think there’s a set of plays where I feel like I got a good grasp on, and there’s some plays thgaugegaugeat, hey, I think you may need some more reps and some more play action stuff. I think it’s hard to guage that.”

On the deep throws he had during the team drills, including one with Javon Baker, and if he can talk about the connection he has and why he trusts him specifically:

“Yeah, I think he’s made some of those plays in camp. I think you see him maybe go up, whether it’s one-on-ones, seven-on-7, making plays, made a play on the sideline today in seven-on [seven], a nice catch. Other than that, he was always in my ear. Saying, ‘Hey, throw it up, throw it to me.’ Him and JP love having the ball in their hands, and you want that from a receiver.”

On the fact he’s not often running around off-script in practice, and if it’s something that he’s almost not doing because they want him to play in the structure from the top-line:

“Yeah, I think with the red jersey on, it’s hard to kind of simulate that, emulate my college game. I think that comes from feel and being in the pocket in the game, running around and scrambling around. I think that just comes with game reps when, hey, people think it’s a sack out here, and I’m scrambling outside the pocket to make a play. I think that’s kind of more of a game thing and in practice, try to play from within.”

(Editor’s Note: This transcript is done via the available footage and is subject to typos. If you spot something, please take a moment to let me know in the comments below.)

About Ian Logue

Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.

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