The New England Patriots have had quite the offseason. In addition to making some big moves in free agency and the 2025 NFL draft, the Patriots brought Josh McDaniels in for his third stint as their offensive coordinator. The pairing of McDaniels and quarterback Drake Maye has former Super Bowl-winning safety Devin McCourty excited.
In a recent interview on 91.5 WMLN, the former defensive back explained how McDaniels is the secret move that can unlock Maye in the 2025 campaign and beyond.
“The big thing for him, where he's gonna gain a big edge over other players, is having Josh McDaniels,” McCourty said. “I know other people outside of New England, when they hear that they're like, ‘No, he didn't work in Vegas; he didn't work in Denver.'”
“I can tell you firsthand, having to play against him day after day in training camp … his mind and how he thinks of the game, because he started as a defensive backs coach … he knows how to attack things that I don't think other coaches really do … Teams haven't seen Drake Maye combined with Josh McDaniels, and I think it's gonna play and be a credit to him.”
Even though McDaniels didn't pan out as a head coach with the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos, he has enjoyed a great deal of success as an offensive coordinator with the Patriots. After all, he worked with legendary quarterback Tom Brady for years as the conductor of their high-powered offense, so the hope is he can replicate that success with Maye under center now.
Drake Maye can benefit greatly from Josh McDaniels' return to Patriots
Maye has a lot of the things going right for him as he enters his second season in the NFL. The former North Carolina Tar Heel showed off his potential frequently during the second half of his rookie season as he looked extremely comfortable under center and wasn't afraid to use his size and athleticism to his advantage.
Also, the Patriots are fresh off an excellent draft. They landed offensive tackle Will Campbell, running back TreVeyon Henderson, and wide receiver Kyle Williams with their first three picks.
The emphasis on offensive weapons only proves that Maye is the go-to guy for New England. Beyond that, this will also make McDaniels' life even more fun. He'll get to work with those rookies and put them in positions to succeed.
After all, McCourty mentioned that McDaniels was a former defensive coaching assistant. Not many offensive coordinators have that experience under their belt. It truly allows McDaniels to have a leg up on the defense. He understands what opposing defenses are looking to run, and he's able to counter effectively.
Most importantly, though, is the fact that Maye now has a Super Bowl-winning play caller at his side. Working with Brady was a dream come true for McDaniels.
This isn't saying that Maye is Brady, or that he will become him. However, the potential is oozing in Foxborough. McCourty sees the McDaniels and Maye combination being lethal, and the other 31 teams across the league will certainly take note of that.
