{"id":52956,"date":"2024-04-26T00:17:30","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T04:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=52956"},"modified":"2024-04-26T00:17:30","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T04:17:30","slug":"transcript-patriots-qb-drake-maye-conference-call","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2024\/04\/26\/transcript-patriots-qb-drake-maye-conference-call\/","title":{"rendered":"TRANSCRIPT: Patriots QB Drake Maye Conference Call"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s what new draft pick Drake Maye said after being selected by the New England Patriots<\/strong><\/a> Thursday night:<\/em><\/p>\n

On his reaction:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I’m stoked.\u00a0 I’m super pumped.\u00a0 Can’t wait to get up to New England.\u00a0 I’m looking so forward to it.\u00a0 Just an awesome moment to get here with my family and friends.\u00a0 One of the best nights of my life.\u00a0 Can’t wait to get up there and get started and get to work.”<\/p>\n

On when he knew the Patriots were going to take him and if it was a surprise:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“When I heard that phone ring right beside me.\u00a0 Kind of had the old school phone right beside me at the draft.\u00a0 Once that rang, it rang real early, rang right at 10 minutes right when the Patriots were on the clock.\u00a0 I heard it started ringing and it’s one of the moments I’ll remember forever and I’ll cherish.\u00a0 I think my mom grabbed that phone and took it with her.\u00a0 But we’ll remember forever.”<\/p>\n

On if she let him have any words or if she picked up the phone:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Exactly.\u00a0 No, she let me pick it up.\u00a0 It was a little tough to hear, but it was great.\u00a0 You could hear him pretty clear.”<\/p>\n

On who was with him in Detroit:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I’ve got my three older brothers.\u00a0 Three of my best friends.\u00a0 Even my older brother Luke, he plays basketball overseas in Japan, he flew back yesterday and made it in for the trip.\u00a0 My two parents.\u00a0 My long-time girlfriend and ten of my friends and family came up as a surprise yesterday.\u00a0 So awesome night.\u00a0 Can’t wait.\u00a0 I know they’re excited.\u00a0 We have a whole bunch of Patriots fans now, so I’m excited to see that.”<\/p>\n

On what stood out to him about the Patriots in the pre-draft process:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I think when I put in the 30 visit, not only the history on the wall, but kind of just the model of their work ethic.\u00a0 Grind it out.\u00a0 The Patriots have been a dynasty and one of the best areas, best sports towns,\u00a0 I think it’s the best in the country.\u00a0 I’m so looking forward to getting up there.\u00a0 Getting to see it.\u00a0 Getting to see Gillette Stadium and just looking forward to that.\u00a0 That’s kind of what coach Mayo preaches.\u00a0 He’s such a player’s coach.\u00a0 I can see how the guys attract to him and looking forward to playing for him and meeting everybody else.”<\/p>\n

On if he had any conversations with anyone who is currently on the Patriots:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I have.\u00a0 I actually got to know, actually, Jacoby Brissett over the summer.\u00a0 Conor McDermott, I got to meet him at the Super Bowl, and then I’ve … who else on the Patriots … Gonzo, a little bit, you know, the DB.\u00a0 And other than that, I’m just excited to meet everybody else and can’t wait to get in the locker room.\u00a0 I remember walking through it.\u00a0 They’ve got a basketball hoop in there in the locker room and I was shooting at it, that’s what I remember.\u00a0 So can’t wait to get up there and meet the rest of the guys and just kind of get going.”<\/p>\n

On his feelings about being in a quarterback room with Jacoby Brissett:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Yeah, awesome.\u00a0 He’s been so many different places, so many different offenses.\u00a0 I think he’s been in this offense before with Coach Van Pelt, and just looking forward to getting to learn from him.\u00a0 I know he’s an old guy, old vet, and he can still play.\u00a0 So I’m looking forward to help contributing in any way and just looking forward to getting to see him and I know he’s the man.”<\/p>\n

On where he met Brissett:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I met him through Sam Howell, back when he was with the Commanders.\u00a0 Met him through mutual friends, they’re great buddies, and Sam speaks so highly of him.\u00a0 So I got to meet Jacoby and looking forward to being in the same room again.”<\/p>\n

On meeting Alex Van Pelt and what he’s looking forward to in this offense:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Yeah. Oh Yeah. I met Coach.\u00a0 We met first time at the formal interview at the Combine.\u00a0 He was asking some questions.\u00a0 And I went up there for the 30 visit and went through some of the film.\u00a0 Outside zone scheme, and he liked to throw it around.\u00a0 He was showing some clips and playaction stuff with Rodgers back in the day in Green Bay.\u00a0 So I’m looking forward to being in that offense.\u00a0 I know they’ve had a lot of success in the past and just looking forward to kind of finding my way to best contribute to Pats Nation.”<\/p>\n

On the Patriots situation being one of the worst for a rookie quarterback and how he feels about it:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I think they’re wrong.\u00a0 I think that defense last year, held a lot of teams to low points.\u00a0 Looking forward to helping any way in the offense offensively, and just looking forward to being there for Coach Mayo in his first year, congrats to him.\u00a0 I think anybody who’s saying that, hopefully we’ll find out coming this season.\u00a0 Work hard with the guys and prove them wrong.”<\/p>\n

On the fact people think of Tom Brady and what he thinks of following in his footsteps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Yeah, Tom Brady’s the GOAT.\u00a0 It’s easy to say that.\u00a0 He’s the best that’s ever played this game.\u00a0 I’m not going to be Tom Brady.\u00a0 I’m just going to try to be Drake Maye.\u00a0 From there, I’m just trying to learn from him, hopefully get to know him a little bit, and other than that, just try to soak it up, and be a sponge and try to learn all I can from him.\u00a0 He’s the man in that town.”<\/p>\n

On what the Patriots first brought up in his first Combine Interview:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Yeah, I think the first thing is just getting to know me was the first thing.\u00a0 Asked me some background questions, some family questions.\u00a0 That was the first time I talked to them was at the Combine because I didn’t do any Senior Bowl stuff, or any of that.\u00a0 Was just kind of asked some background questions about my family, about my past two years and they put me up on the board a little bit and watched some tape.\u00a0 Some good plays, I remember, and some of them were bad.\u00a0 So just kind of wanted to know my thought process and just being honest up there.\u00a0 I remember drawing up a play, I think they put it against cover two, I drew up a play. So … ”<\/p>\n

On the fact Mayo made it clear he wasn’t the starter and if he knew that and what his understanding is on that:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Yeah.\u00a0 They asked … just me in front of a bunch of coaches.\u00a0 I think my first thing is just help any way I can contribute.\u00a0 I’ll prepare and be ready to be the starter, but at the same time I think you know as a young guy coming in there, it’s not given to you, you’ve got to earn it.\u00a0 The NFL is someplace you’ve got to work your butt off and my job is to go in there and earn the guys’ respect.\u00a0 Help whoever is the starter if I’m not, I’ll be the best player that I can and help this team win.”<\/p>\n

On his ability to attack the whole field and on what would be his bread and butter play on a 4th and 7 play?<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Yeah, no doubt.\u00a0 I think throwing something across the middle. I think I see it well, I’m a big 6’5″ dude back there where it’s a seam shot, big dig, corner route, corner post.\u00a0 Anything across the middle of the field.\u00a0 I feel like I can make the throw, make all the throws, and I’m excited … if it’s not there, I can go make a play for myself.\u00a0 So I think that’s the most … looking forward to it and hopefully kind of expand that game into the NFL.”<\/p>\n

On if he’s the type of guy who feeds off outside noise:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I think control what I can control, that’s the biggest thing.\u00a0 All the outside noise, is part of the media trying to make headlines.\u00a0 The biggest thing for me is to worry about my play on the field and how I am as a teammate in the locker room and a man in the community.\u00a0 So that’s what I’m worried about.\u00a0 All the outside noise, I think comes with my play on the field, and that’s what I can control.”<\/p>\n

On Wolf saying he liked his ability to elevate players on the field and what he feels help him do that:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“No doubt.\u00a0 I think that’s a huge part of being the quarterback.\u00a0 You’re the face of the team.\u00a0 They look to you and my responsibility is to get the guys, get to know them personalities, I think that’s the biggest thing.\u00a0 Genuine relationships, that’s kind of what I feed off of.\u00a0 Get to know the guys truly because you may not be able to handle different guys the same way.\u00a0 One guy you may be able to get on him a little bit, yell at him, or be a little harder on him.\u00a0 Back in North Carolina, some of the receivers, I could do that.\u00a0 Some of the offensive linemen, I was more kind of gentle and friendly and just picking them up.\u00a0 So get to know the guys personally, I think that’s the biggest thing.\u00a0 And just be one of the guys.\u00a0 I think I’m coming in there as a top three pick rookie, I think you kind of just stay humble.\u00a0 And don’t let that … worry about my play on the field and winning games.\u00a0 That’s not what I’m playing the game for.\u00a0 I talk about I love football, I love winning and I think the biggest thing is, I hate losing.\u00a0 Hate losing anything I do, doesn’t matter what it is.”<\/p>\n

On what Patriots fans can expect from him:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“A competitor and a winner.\u00a0 I think that’s the main two things that come to mind.\u00a0 It doesn’t matter if I’m racing you out the door, or on the football field competing.\u00a0 I think I’m competing to win.\u00a0 That’s what Patriots Nation is about.\u00a0 That’s what they know how to do and I’m ready to come in and do that.”<\/p>\n

On how it feels to have this portion of the offseason behind him:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“It’s awesome, actually.\u00a0 I think it was a long process.\u00a0 Straight from the season into working out for the Combine, then Pro Day, then these visits.\u00a0 So, it was an awesome experience, though.\u00a0 A lot of learning.\u00a0 A lot of get to know about the NFL.\u00a0 Get to know about the league.\u00a0 Meet a lot of different people.\u00a0 A lot of awesome coaches and awesome players.\u00a0 But I’m excited to get to rookie minicamp, get to know the fellow Patriots, and just ready to get to Foxborough.”<\/p>\n

On what he learned during the course of the interviews that he knows he needs to address before he takes the field:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“No doubt.\u00a0 I think the biggest thing I learned is just be myself.\u00a0 Don’t change for the NFL.\u00a0 Don’t change for anybody that’s hating or downplaying me.\u00a0 Just be myself.\u00a0 Be who I am.\u00a0 I’m not going to change.\u00a0 You’re getting Drake Maye.\u00a0 It’s who I am.\u00a0 You’re going to see it day in and day out.\u00a0 I may not have as much energy as I may sitting in one of those interview rooms as now.\u00a0 But it’s one of the best days of my life.\u00a0 Can’t thank Pats Nation enough and the front office coaches for trusting me.\u00a0 I promise you won’t regret it.\u00a0 And looking forward to it.”<\/p>\n

Here’s the video:<\/p>\n