Julian Edelman drops words of wisdom for Drake Maye to take next step under Josh McDaniels in 2025 season
After firing Alex Van Pelt, the New England Patriots were looking for a new offensive coordinator to oversee quarterback Drake Maye's development and picked Josh McDaniels for the task. This is the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach's third stint with the franchise. He first joined the team in 2001 and has spent all but five seasons since away from the franchise.
Patriots greats Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski are excited about the prospect of Maye learning from the six-time Super Bowl champion and playing under his tutelage. They advised the quarterback to form a strong bond with the veteran coach. On the "Dudes On Dudes" podcast, Edelman said (Timestamp: 1:15):
"(If I was Drake Maye), I would be very, extremely close with Josh and be able to talk the language. You guys got to be able to finish each other's sentences by the time you guys are starting to call plays to other people.
"I would live in the film room and watch players that succeeded in the system you're about to run, watch Tom Brady old film, because that's the offense that you're going to be able to break down."
Gronkowski said that if he was Maye, he'd do anything to ensure he spent more time with McDaniels (Timestamp: 0:40):
"I would be around Josh McDaniels as much as possible. I would offer to carpool to work with him, maybe offer to coach his kids' flag football team, whatever it takes. I would be picking the brain of legendary offensive coordinator, Super Bowl winner Josh McDaniels as much as I can possibly do it."
Drake Maye ecstatic about Josh McDaniels returning to the Patriots
During an interview on Sirius XM NFL, Drake Maye was asked about Josh McDaniels joining the Patriots as the franchise's new offensive coordinator. He expressed his excitement about the coach's return and claimed he was eager to work under him (Timestamp: 0:38):
"I’m fortunate to be able to have a guy come in who has done it at a high level and learn from him coaching one of the best ever – the best ever, in my opinion – Tom (Brady). So, I have a great chance to go back – all those years of film he has in the little database, it’s all their play-calls, all Coach McDaniels’ stuff and what he did with Tom.”
McDaniels and Tom Brady won the Super Bowl in their first season working together in the 2004 campaign. Maye will look to emulate the feat in the 2025 season.