Patriots Give One Person ‘Credit’ For Drake Maye’s Early Success

Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has received a ton of flak throughout his first season in New England, specifically from those outside the building.

One Patriot Place is actually full of believers.

“There’s no one in this organization that deserves more credit, as far as what Drake has been able to do on the football field, than Alex Van Pelt,” Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said on Wednesday, per team-provided video. “… I’d say, when we interviewed all of the assistant coaches that are here, one of the prerequisites or requirements was a guy who was level-headed.

“(We wanted) a guy who believes in working together, a guy who doesn’t get too high and doesn’t get too low — and that’s Alex. I appreciate that.”

Van Pelt has taken plenty of lumps for the way things have looked in New England, but the undoubted spark that Maye’s addition has provided is something that can’t be overlooked.

Maye himself is the primary reason for those improvements, but it all comes back to AVP.

“You love playing for an offensive coordinator like AVP,” Maye said on Wednesday, per team-provided video. “He’s positive, but at the same time, he’ll coach you hard. He’s done it. He played quarterback in this league.”

Van Pelt’s job security seemed pretty non-existent at the midway point of the season, but hearing what those who work around him have to say certainly paints the picture of someone who will be around for the long haul.