Drake Maye reacts to Bill Belichick potentially becoming head coach at UNC
FOXBORO -- Drake Maye and Bill Belichick never crossed paths in New England. But as a North Carolina native who was a star at UNC, the current Patriots quarterback is certainly interested in Belichick's potentially landing spot in Chapel Hill.
Belichick and UNC are reportedly finalizing a deal that will make him the next head coach of the Tar Heels. Maye played three seasons at North Carolina before being drafted third overall by the Patriots last April, and is intrigued by what Belichick would bring to his alma mater.
"Obviously a legendary coach with the success he had here, and what a great place Chapel Hill is. So any time you have a legendary NFL coach going back to college, I think it's cool. It's pretty interesting," Maye said Wednesday morning in Foxboro. "It's not official yet, but I think Coach Belichick would love Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill is a great spot.
"A cool thing for a Hall of Fame coach to go back and coach some college kids," added Maye.
Belichick has no experience coaching the college game, but Maye thinks future Tar Heels would be excited to play for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.
"Coach Belichick, defensive mind, I'm sure he'll get that defense rolling. I think it's a great spot and a great coaching job," said Maye. "I can't blame him. It's an awesome place."
Maye focused on Cardinals during the Belichick-UNC drama
Maye grew up in Huntersville, North Carolina and spent his bye week back home, so he heard plenty of chatter about Belichick interviewing for the UNC job. But he said that he hasn't had any contact with Belichick -- who was let go by New England before the team drafted Maye -- and didn't make any recruiting pitches for North Carolina.
He did watch some college football and NFL games during the bye, but Maye has been focused on New England's Week 15 opponent: The Arizona Cardinals.
"No insider info," he joked on the Belichick front.
The Patriots sit at just 3-10 this season, and while he wasn't around for the team's 4-13 campaign in 2023, Maye said he is feeling the urgency to right the ship over the final four weeks of the regular season.
"I think everybody's got some urgency. Nobody wants a season like this year again," said Maye. "I think it's two years in a row of a season like this and you start to worry. I think there's definitely some urgency. You see it in those guys and you see it especially in the veterans and in me. As a quarterback, there's an urgency to get to that point and fix these things, work on them, get better and use these last four games as a stepping stool."
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