NFL insider Tom Pelissero just flat-out crushed rumors of a rift between New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and quarterback Drake Maye, but let’s be real: with the team sitting at a brutal 1-2 to start the 2026 season, and Maye’s numbers looking rough, you gotta wonder if there’s smoke somewhere. Pelissero reported Saturday on his Substack that those in the know had “some chuckles” about a WEEI report suggesting an “issue” between Maye and Vrabel.
The Vrabel-Maye ‘Rift’ That Isn’t, Or Is It?
Look, according to Pelissero, sources close to both the coach and the quarterback are saying there’s “zero truth” to any problems in their relationship. They apparently “speak regularly, never a tense word between them,” and were supposedly the “driving forces” behind last year’s AFC title run. Vrabel himself, just this past Wednesday, came out swinging against the rumors. He basically said he *chose* New England because he wanted to coach Maye. “Believe it or not, I had choices to where I wanted to coach. I wanted to coach here, because Drake was the quarterback,” Vrabel stated, adding he didn’t have much else to say about “a comment from an unnamed source.” That unnamed source was Greg Hill’s “insider” who claimed on his show that “despite what Mike Vrabel may have said publicly, [the issue] goes back to Drake Maye not being his guy.” So, you’ve got denials flying, but where there’s smoke, right?
The Numbers Drake Maye Can’t Deny
Here’s the thing: Maye’s play on the field isn’t exactly helping shut down any rumors. This rough 1-2 start includes Maye throwing just one touchdown while tossing a staggering six interceptions through three games. That’s the most picks by a Patriots quarterback through three games since Drew Bledsoe back in 1994. Yikes. It all came to a head in a brutal 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where Maye threw two interceptions. That loss marked Maye’s 10th game with multiple turnovers since 2024. And if you zoom out a bit further, since the start of the 2025 playoffs, Maye has committed a combined 15 turnovers, with 10 interceptions and five fumbles. During that Jacksonville blowout, Vrabel was even seen talking to Maye on the sideline after his third turnover late in the third quarter before yanking his starter for Tommy DeVito with eight minutes left. When the coach is benching you in a blowout after *another* turnover, denials about relationship issues start to feel a little hollow, don’t they?
Moving forward, Vrabel’s whole season might hinge on helping Maye regain confidence, especially when it comes to ball security. They’re up against the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. The Bills are perfect right now, but get this: they’ve also allowed the sixth-most passing yards against through three games. If Maye can protect the ball and find some rhythm against a passing defense that’s given up some yards, maybe Vrabel’s season, and Maye’s confidence, can finally start to turn around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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