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New Patriots QB Joshua Dobbs shares initial impression of Drake Maye
"It’s really good to be around that every morning, coming in [with a] high spirit."
FOXBOROUGH — Drake Maye turned plenty of heads with his encouraging play on the gridiron during his rookie season in 2024.
Thrust into a starting role on a team lacking both depth and high-end talent across the roster, Maye routinely made the NFL highlight reels by way of a cannon of an arm and some underrated foot speed.
But if you ask fellow Patriots QB Joshua Dobbs, the first thing that stood out about his new teammate has little to do with his play on the field.
Rather, it revolved around golf — with the duo first meeting up during an NFLPA event in Cancun, Mexico, last month.
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“He can hit the crap out of it with his driver,” Dobbs said of Maye’s golf game on Tuesday. “It’s good to get a chance to meet each other outside of the football environment. Put a face with a name, and start talking and get to know each other. And, just being in the building, the kid loves football. It’s really good to be around that every morning, coming in [with a] high spirit.
“And just being able to grow and learn Coach [Josh] McDaniels’ offense. It’s been really good being together.”
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With Maye taking the reins as New England’s starting QB moving forward, Dobbs is back in a familiar spot as a veteran backup option on an NFL club.
The 30-year-old QB has bounced around the NFL — earning reps with the Steelers, Browns, Jaguars, Lions, Titans, Cardinals, Vikings, and 49ers before inking a two-year deal with New England this offseason.
Dobbs is no stranger to stepping into a starting role when needed. During a 2023 season where he played for both the Cardinals and Vikings, Dobbs started 12 games — completing 62.8 percent of his throws for 2,464 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
The former Tennessee standout will serve as valuable insurance for New England in the event that Maye is sidelined. But a seasoned veteran like Dobbs also plans on doing what he can to help Maye thrive as a featured QB in Foxborough.
“I’m able to provide pointers from things I’ve seen in the past, how to quickly pick up an offense, and go out execute it,” Dobbs said of working with Maye. “And he’s done a great job of showing me around the team … It’s been a great dynamic, and we’re going to enjoy working together.”
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Making multiple stops across the NFL has given Dobbs a fresh perspective at this stage of his career — while also exposing him to several quarterbacks and how they conduct themselves as part of a team.
Dobbs pointed to former Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett as someone who set the right example of how to cultivate a healthy QB room. That approach is one that Dobbs hopes to replicate at Gillette Stadium over the next two years.
“One of my faves and a familiar face up here is Jacoby. He had two stints here. And for me, I got a chance to spend time with him in Cleveland. And at that point, he had played much more football than I had played. I really hadn’t played much football from a starting capacity and to be able to learn from him, like see how you approach every single week, reps in the offseason, how he engaged with his teammates, it was a really good, healthy quarterback group.
“And that’s why I’ve enjoyed at the stops that I feel have been the most productive for me is a healthy quarterback room. Whoever the guy is out there on Sunday, it’s everyone’s job in that room to make sure they’re supported and ready to go, ready to play. And obviously, from my role, it’s ensuring that as we’re in the offense together, Drake feels comfortable and can go out there and play at a high level.”
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