Here is the full transcript of New England Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye’s press conference for Tuesday, August 13, 2024:
About what he takes away from the progression and everything else and what he takes away from his first joint exercise:
“Yeah, I think it was fun. We had fun as a team hitting, putting the pads on and hitting against another team. That’s the best part about going up against somebody else, wearing the same color jerseys, and just going for it. I think you learn a lot. That’s the best part about training together. You watch the film and learn from it. A lot of different angles. I didn’t study them much just because I was trying to get a feel for it. Going into the preseason game, I study them a little bit more and just have fun.”
Among the challenges of playing with an attacking line where there are changes in roles and players coming in and out:
“I think that’s part of it. I don’t think it’s changed my job. I have to go in there, persevere, make the right decisions and just sit back and treat it like anything else. Treat it the same. I think these guys are nothing to worry about. They all, whoever is there, are fighting hard, and I’m just trying to do my job.”
What you can take away from the end of the two-minute exercise is that it obviously didn’t go the way he had imagined. He said at the end:
“First of all, I have to get the ball out in the first few minutes, you can’t take sacks in two minutes. Whether I feel something, whether it’s coming from behind or whatever, I have to get the ball out. And other than that, I just try to get finishes. Whether it’s hitting the back, try to do something, try to get us moving. So that’s the main thing.”
On his assessment of his overall performance today:
“Yeah, I think there’s ups and downs. I think seven-for-seven. I think I threw the football well. First team period was OK. 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. Great defense. They do a good job. Just some big guys up front and some different looks. So it’s just a great learning experience.”
When asked what he says about accepting things, learning from them and getting better, how much is he looking forward to it and what things can he spontaneously take away without just watching the film:
“Yeah, without a doubt. I think Coach Mayo preaches one play at a time. Don’t be a guy that repeats mistakes. Coach Mayo always says that. Especially as a quarterback, it’s obvious when you do the same thing wrong twice in a row. Try not to be that guy and just try… Next time I get a replay that I like, try to find the right interpretation.”
On Jerod Mayo’s statement that he will play more in the second preseason game and his attitude when he hears that:
“Yeah, I’m excited to get out there. I’m excited to go out there with the guys and try to make some plays. I’m going to dress 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 how he keeps an eye on the balance between the things he has to work on and processing them, but also just plays instinctively:
“I think that’s a great question. I think there are some memories, kind of for every game or every series of games or that drop, memories that I take in every game. From then on, 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 play Jay-Z’s “Public Service Announcement” while working on 11-on-11:
“Yeah, I know, I’ve heard that a little bit. I thought it was pretty cool. I think we had a good set, so maybe they’ll play that song a little more.”
On the fact that Jerod Mayo said you wanted to treat today like a game day. There was a scoreboard out there and his impressions:
“Yeah, I think today kind of felt like game day. That’s the main thing. I told the guys in the locker room, ‘Man, it feels like a game here.’ So I think there’s both sides. I think it’s a joint practice. Maybe we’ll catch them on this play, maybe they’ll catch us on the next. Other than two minutes, which I thought you win and lose at two minutes, it’s kind of a win and lose. They caught us at two minutes. Other than that, I think it’s a back and forth.”
To build trust among the boys on offense:
“I think it’s one of those things where you get into the games and the guy emerges. When the equipment is on and the games are important, I think the guy will emerge in the first couple of weeks. I think all the guys, KJ (Osborn), Boutte (Kayshon Boutte), (Javon) Baker and (Ja’Lynn) Polk, they can all step up and make plays, Tyquan (Thornton). So you just have to see which one of them performs well in the game and you’ll figure that out.
What was it like getting used to pass rushing at the NFL level and the speed that comes with it:
“Yeah, no doubt about it. I think you have to be fast. I think you have to play fast, but you have to play smart at the same time. You can’t force anything. You just have to get used to it. There are some big guys. Jordan Davis from Charlotte, who I played against in high school, so it’s nice to see him here. Like I said, some big guys, and I’m just trying to get used to it, figure it out and just have to … really trust the guys up front because our guys fight hard and do a great job.”
What he likes about Jalen Hurts’ game when he’s trying to get the momentum he needs and get to a point where he’s not thinking anymore, and how close he thinks he is to that:
“I think that’s hard to gauge. I think there are a number of plays that I feel like I have a good handle on, and there are some plays that I think, hey, I think you might need a few more reps and more plays. I think that’s hard to gauge.”
On the long throws he’s made during team practices, including one with Javon Baker, and whether 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 might see him going forward, whether it’s one-on-one or seven-on-seven, he makes plays, made a play on the sideline today in seven-on-seven, a nice catch. Other than that, he was always in my ear. He’d say, ‘Hey, throw it up, throw it to me.’ He and JP love having the ball in their hands and that’s what you want in a receiver.”
On the fact that he doesn’t often run off script in training, and whether it’s something he almost doesn’t do because they want him to play in the front row structure:
“Yeah, I think with the red jersey, it’s hard to simulate that, to mimic my college game. I think that comes from the feel and being in the pocket in the game, running around and running around. I think that just comes with the game reps when people think it’s a sack out here and I’m running out of the pocket to make a play. I think that’s more of a game thing and in practice I try to play from the inside.”
(Editor’s note: This transcript is based on available footage and may contain typos. If you notice anything, please let me know in the comments below.)
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