Drake Maye Praises Mike Vrabel For Handling Of Emotional Titans Game

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 5:37 PM

drake maye praises mike vrabel for handling of emotional titans game

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel did all he could last week to downplay the storyline related to the club's Week 7 game at the Tennessee Titans, the team that fired him in... Coming off New England's 31-13 win that improved the Patriots to 5-2, quarterback Drake Maye shared why he and others in the locker room appreciated what Vrabel did and didn't say ahead of the... "It meant a lot to us, him downplaying, not making a big deal…what’s interesting versus what’s important, and he cared about us," Maye said during a Monday appearance on Boston sports radio station WEEI,... "He cared about his team, and he said that was in the past. Now he’s moved on, and he’s worried about us. Shoot, we love playing for coach."

Vrabel went 54-45 across his six seasons with the Titans before he ended his tenure with back-to-back losing campaigns. He guided the franchise to the 2020 AFC Championship Game and later won the Associated Press Coach of the Year Award for the 2021 season. Despite what Vrabel said behind the scenes, Patriots players made it known on Sunday afternoon that they understood earning a win over the Titans meant "a lot" to their coach. Meanwhile, Maye set a franchise record for the highest completion percentage in a single game when he connected on 21-of-23 pass attempts (91.3 percent) for 222 yards and two touchdowns against Tennessee. New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was given the game ball by his quarterback, Drake Maye, following Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans, and he appreciated the honor, as he noted in a radio... Sunday marked Vrabel’s return to Tennessee for the first time since the 2023 season.

The Patriots were able to dominate on both sides of the football and pick up their fifth win of the year. It was quite the win for a team that is quickly finding its stride. Vrabel did not want to make his return to Tennessee about himself, but he was genuinely happy to receive the game ball from Maye. "He did. He did. And again, I appreciate it," Vrabel said on Maye giving him a game ball.

"Happy that they can see success, and they can feel it. They're excited. A lot of great personal achievements, and most importantly, the team achievements." The combination of Maye and Vrabel, along with the return of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, is a major reason why the Patriots are sitting at 5-2. Sunday's win in Tennessee was an important one for the Patriots. Not only did the 31-13 victory see New England maintain its first-place lead in the AFC East—and Drake Maye breaking franchise records once held by Tom Brady—but it also allowed coach Mike Vrabel to...

That's why, in the locker room after the win, the coach was awarded a game ball by his franchise quarterback while trying to break the team down. "One sec, one sec," Maye jumped in as Vrabel walked away from the huddle. "For coach and all Tennessee coaches. Coach Vrabel, we love playing for you. Glad you're our head coach. We love you, coach."

Check out the awesome moment here, at about the 0:35 second mark in the below video: Send this article to your social connections. Send this article to your social connections. Mike Vrabel and the Patriots locker room celebration: Following another Patriots win, the team released footage from its latest postgame locker room celebration. The 31-13 defeat of the Titans was notable for New England’s first-year head coach, Mike Vrabel, as it was the same team that fired him in 2024. As much as Vrabel tried to downplay the circumstances beforehand, it was clear that his players weren’t going to let the moment pass by unacknowledged after the fact.

Vrabel started the postgame address to his team with a credit to their mentality while playing away from Gillette Stadium. The New England Patriots picked up a 31-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 7, and while all wins are important, it’s clear that this one meant a little bit more to head... That wasn’t something that was lost on Drake Maye after the game. Vrabel initially got his start as a head coach in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, as he spent six seasons with them from 2017 to 2023. During that time, he led them to the playoffs three times, but after a couple of rough seasons in 2022 and 2023, he ended up getting fired. After spending a year without a head coaching gig, Vrabel found his way to the Patriots, which is where he spent eight seasons of his 14-year playing career.

And in just seven games, Vrabel has helped completely change the direction of the franchise. While he refused to acknowledge that this game was important for him, the way Vrabel’s tenure came to an end in Tennessee made it clear to everyone that he wanted to win this one. Sure enough, the Pats came out on top, and after the game, Maye gave his head coach a game ball in the locker room. On Monday, Vrabel spoke on Maye’s heartwarming gesture. “I appreciate it,” Vrabel said of Maye awarding him a game ball after the team’s win over the Titans on “The Greg Hill Show.” “I’m happy for these guys. I’m happy that they can see success, and they can feel it, and they’re excited.

A lot of great personal achievements, and most importantly, the team achievement.” The New England Patriots went down to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. It marked a return to the city for Mike Vrabel, who was fired after six seasons as the team’s head coach. Vrabel was asked about his return multiple times during the week and both teams were interested to see how it would play out. Ultimately, Vrabel got the last laugh as his Patriots left Nashville with a dominant 31-13 win, and it could have been much worse. The Patriots gained 387 total yards of offense and Drake Maye was pretty much perfect.

The young quarterback completed 21 of his 23 pass attempts for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Rhamondre Stevenson had his best game of the season, rushing 18 times for 88 yards and one score. On defense, the unit held the Titans to 255 total yards and just 39 net rushing yards. The Titans also converted just three of 10 third down tries turned the ball over twice. Several players could have received a game ball for this performance, but Maye had his own idea. Just as Vrabel finished giving his postgame speech, Maye jumped in to make sure his coach was recognized.

Sunday's win in Tennessee was an important one for the Patriots. Not only did the 31-13 victory see New England maintain its first-place lead in the AFC East—and Drake Maye breaking franchise records once held by Tom Brady—but it also allowed coach Mike Vrabel to... That's why, in the locker room after the win, the coach was awarded a game ball by his franchise quarterback while trying to break the team down. "One sec, one sec," Maye jumped in as Vrabel walked away from the huddle. "For coach and all Tennessee coaches. Coach Vrabel, we love playing for you.

Glad you're our head coach. We love you, coach." Check out the awesome moment here, at about the 0:35 second mark in the below video: Imagine stepping back into a place that shaped your career, facing old ghosts and new challenges, all under the bright lights of an NFL Sunday. That's exactly what unfolded on October 19, 2025, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Mike Vrabel, the grizzled coach now leading the New England Patriots, returned to the city where he built a legacy—only to watch his team, powered by the arm of rookie quarterback Drake Maye, steamroll...

It wasn't just a win; it was a statement. The Patriots, riding a three-game road win streak, extended it to four—a rare feat in franchise history, matched only twice before in 1961 and 1985. For Maye, the 22-year-old phenom out of North Carolina, this victory felt like a rite of passage. Selected third overall in the 2024 draft, he'd waited his turn behind veterans before seizing the starting role midway through the season. Against the Titans, he didn't just manage the game; he owned it, throwing for 278 yards and two touchdowns while the defense sealed the deal with a pick-six. What makes this story sing is the human element.

Vrabel, fired by Tennessee after the 2023 season despite a respectable 56-48 record over six years, including AFC South titles and a deep playoff run in 2019, had taken a detour through Cleveland as... His reunion with owner Robert Kraft, who had long eyed him as a successor to Bill Belichick, added layers of nostalgia. But on this day, sentiment took a backseat to execution—and Maye's poise under pressure. To appreciate where the Patriots stand now, you have to rewind to that chaotic January 2024. The NFL world shifted when, within 48 hours, two titans fell: Vrabel was ousted in Tennessee after a disappointing 6-11 finish, and Belichick, the architect of six Super Bowls, parted ways with New England... It was the end of eras, but also the spark for reinvention.

Kraft, ever the strategist, had quietly agreed to a succession plan years earlier. Vrabel, who played linebacker under Belichick from 2001 to 2008 and idolized the dynasty's grit, emerged as the natural fit. Yet, 2024 saw him sidelined, pondering his next move amid a coaching carousel that swept in eight new head men across the league. By 2025, with the Patriots in rebuild mode, Vrabel was back—tasked with molding a young roster that included Maye, a raw talent with a cannon arm and uncanny mobility.

Drake Maye Praises Mike Vrabel For Handling Of Emotional Titans Game

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