Drake Maye spent part of his week away from Patriots training camp doing exactly what you’d expect from a quarterback who still looks like he’s having a blast with the game: getting on the turf, coaching kids up, and jumping right into the action.
At Alumni Field in Mansfield, where temperatures were pushing toward 90 degrees, more than 100 kids showed up for a chance to work with the New England Patriots captain. Maye, wearing a white tee in partnership with FlexWork Sports, spent several hours moving from group to group, running drills, tossing passes, and even serving as quarterback for both sides in a two-hand touch game.
The campers were plenty excited to see him, too. A lot of them greeted Maye with “Drake Maye” cheers and lined up for high fives and photos. He made time for all of it.
Before the work started, Maye set the tone with a message that fit the day.
"Let's get something out of today, Maye said, addressing the kids beforehand. "Details, techniques, some fundamentals of football.
It's almost football season, you know what time it is. So go Pats, have some fun and let's go."
The Mansfield stop was the second of three youth camps Maye is hosting across New England this week before training camp gets rolling. At his first camp in Auburn, Mass., he told ESPN’s Mike Reiss, “Got a bunch of kids out here, should be some fun," Maye told ESPN's Mike Reiss at his first camp in Auburn, Mass.
"We actually got a good day, the fog cleared out, so looking forward to be out with the kids. We got a bunch of kids and just playing football."
This kind of public offseason run hasn’t exactly been a mystery. Earlier this year, Maye and his wife, Ann Michael, hosted a celebrity softball game in Worcester, and he also showed up at the Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port as honorary chair.
But the youth camps are where Maye seems most in his element. He said the point is simple: have fun, keep the game in perspective, and let the kids soak up the basics.
Video: Patriots QB Drake Maye on his @FlexWorkSports camp and message for kids: Dream big, it starts at this age and falling in love with the game of football. pic.twitter.com/SJaWBKYnjb
"I think you just gotta dream big. I think it starts here," Maye said.
"It starts at this age and falling in love with the game. And I think just getting something out of the fundamentals of it.
One of the biggest things that we preach and Coach (Mike) Vrabel (does) is details and fundamentals and technique.
"I think the biggest thing here is learn some of those things, and like I said, I told them to ask some questions, ask some questions. I’m an open book."
The best moments came when Maye helped each group finish drives for touchdowns. At times, he even stepped away from quarterback to run a route into a crowd of young players, while the fill-in quarterback chose to check the ball down instead. One camper also came up with a touchdown catch that drew a big reaction from the MVP finalist.
Each group got about 10 minutes with Maye before everyone came together for one final huddle and a Patriots cheer.
Maye’s final youth camp is set for Londonderry, New Hampshire, tomorrow, and then the real work starts. For him, the connection is personal.
"I love pouring into kids' lives and I remember being at this age, that’s probably when I started playing football," Maye said. "I love it."
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