Drake Maye backs Mayo, Van Pelt after loss to Bills: "I'm proud to be a Patriot"
BOSTON -- New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye is well aware of all the outside noise regarding head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. But Maye emphatically supported the the two coaches after the team's 24-21 loss to the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday, calling all that outside chatter "B.S."
There have been a lot of rumblings about Mayo's future and whether or not he'll get a second season with the Patriots. There was a report Sunday that Robert Kraft would only move on from Mayo if the team collapsed over the final three weeks, or if the coach lost the locker room.
The Patriots put up a real fight against the Bills on Sunday, as Mayo continues to get his team to play hard despite their now 3-12 record. And based on what Maye had to say after the loss, it doesn't sound like the head coach is in jeopardy of losing the locker room with just two weeks left in the regular season.
Drake Maye calls outside chatter about coaches "B.S."
After throwing for 260 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception against the Bills, Maye expressed his frustration with losing. He shouldered much of the blame for the defeat because of his two turnovers (he was credited with a fumble on a backwards pass to Rhamondre Stevenson that Buffalo recovered for a touchdown), and each week you can tell that he really takes each loss to heart.
"It's on me. I've got to be better," said Maye. "At some point down there, it's a reflection of the quarterback. I think it's starting to come that way down in the red zone, and I've got to do better, do more, make better throws and give our guys chances because they're playing their butts off."
As for all the talk about Mayo and Van Pelt's job security, Maye doesn't want to hear any of it. He said that he's doing his best to block it all out before giving both coaches a huge stamp of approval.
"I think it's some B.S. to be quite honest. Coach Mayo, like I said, we've got his back and he's coached us hard," said Maye, who also voiced his support for Mayo on Wednesday. "He wants to win. We all want to win. We're all frustrated. AVP's been calling great the past weeks. We're just plays away, and it's basically me turning the ball over.
"I think it's just a testament to these guys that keep fighting. We keep fighting," Maye continued. "Shoot, we're not going to make the playoffs; we're out of the race, and these guys are coming in, frustrated when we don't score. They've got energy at practice and they've got energy coming into the game. We want to win. There's guys not even playing that are yelling on the sidelines and wanting to win. I think we're building something good, building something that feels right here, and I'm proud to be a Patriot."
Veteran tight end Hunter Henry -- who has been Maye's favorite target throughout his rookie season -- also had some strong support for Mayo and Van Pelt after Sunday's loss, saying he's enjoyed every second with the two coaches.
"I feel like they've both been very consistent in who they are, no matter the ups, no matter the downs," the veteran captain said at the podium. "I feel they've been very consistent throughout the whole year. That would be the word I would use for them. I love playing for Jerod, and I love playing for AVP. Those are two guys that I love going out to battle with."
After coming out flat in last week's road loss to the Cardinals, the Patriots gave the Bills and MVP favorite Josh Allen a battle on Sunday. While Mayo has had a number of issues and mistakes during his rookie season, Sunday's showing against a Super Bowl favorite in frigid conditions is an indication that the team is still playing hard for him.
We'll see if Mayo ultimately gets another season to right this ship, but it's clear that his players -- especially the franchise quarterback -- continue to have his back through all of the team's struggles.