Former NFL Head Coach Sends Blunt Message To Drake Maye

Drake Maye, unlike the first five weeks of his rookie season, won’t be a spectator Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.

Maye will make his first NFL regular-season start when the New England Patriots host the Houston Texans for a Week 6 showdown. The 22-year-old’s ascent to the top of his team’s quarterback depth chart arrived earlier than most expected, but Jerod Mayo and company couldn’t keep rolling with the listless offense that led New England to a 1-4 record.

Herm Edwards seems to believe Maye can provide the Patriots with the spark they’re looking for, and he offered some words of encouragement to the 2024 No. 3 overall pick a few hours before his debut.

“Drake Maye, why not show us why you should have been a starter Week 1?” Edwards said Sunday morning on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” “Now, you’re the starting quarterback. You know what you need to do? You need to score some points. This team is only averaging 12 points per game. It’s time to put some points on the board, Drake Maye. Why not show us you can do that? Because now you’re the starting quarterback — probably should have been the starting quarterback Week 1.”

Maye will be hard-pressed to make a fantastic first impression, as he’ll go toe-to-toe with a nasty Texans defense that can get after the passer. But Patriots coaches clearly believe the North Carolina product is up to the challenge, and New England players figure to rally around their new QB.

The AFC foes will kick off their early afternoon clash at 1 p.m. ET.