Well, the new era begins in Foxborough. Sort of… Why so unsure? Well, because the Patriots dropped a hype video on X—nothing too fancy, just your classic off-season “we’re back” reel. Gillette Stadium, April breeze, new faces walking in. It was the kind of clip that gets you in the football mood, even if it’s just voluntary workouts.

But guess who was not in that video? Yeah… Drake Maye. And suddenly, that little 30-second montage turned into a mini soap opera. Now, before we spiral, let’s lay out the facts. This is Phase 1 of the offseason program—voluntary, not mandatory. It will begin from 22nd April and would run till 25th April. So, Maye is technically not required to be there for the offseason workout program.

However, fans were hoping he’d be there. Especially after all the Joe Milton III trade controversy, still fresh, and all the whispers about Maye’s reaction to that move. So, the Pats Nation started connecting dots that may or may not exist. I mean, we don’t blame them. This is after the reports dropped that Maye’s family wasn’t exactly throwing a party when Milton got drafted in the first place.

And here’s the thing—Maye and Milton weren’t just two QBs stuck in the same room. They were boys. They met at the Manning Academy. Trained together. Pushed each other. Maye even went on record, saying, “Joe’s my guy.” So when the Patriots shipped Milton off to Dallas for a 2025 fifth-rounder, it didn’t feel like just a typical roster move. It felt personal.

Add that to Volin’s report that Maye “left the locker room without speaking” after week 18 and skipped cleanout day? Fans started side-eyeing everything. Even if it was Ben Volin who was stirring the pot with his Boston Globe piece (remember the Mac Jones saga?). He even hinting that the Milton trade was a move to “placate Maye.” Yes, the fans don’t take his words for a gospel. But they know, however, he may be, he still does have solid sources within the industry.

So, that’s why the noise around Drake’s absence was screaming the loudest. Whether intentional or not, Drake Maye not showing up—or at least not being shown—in the kickoff video raised eyebrows. Especially when you’ve got a new head coach in Mike Vrabel, a fresh QB1 era beginning, and the narrative already dangling by a thread.

Pats Nation wishes Drake Maye’s early into the office

ESPN’s Mike Reiss dropped the list. In the Patriots’ newly released offseason workout hype video—dubbed “the boys are back”—fans spotted Pop Douglas, Stefon Diggs, Christian Gonzalez (rocking an All-Pro Zo jacket), Kyle Dugger, Kendrick Bourne, and a handful of others. But one name was noticeably MIA: Drake Maye. And let’s just say, Pats Nation had thoughts.

“Maye’s not in the video because he showed up early, right? …right?” one fan asked, with just enough hope to cover the panic. It’s the kind of line you drop when you’re trying to convince yourself everything’s fine. And to be fair, the team did just start Phase 1 of workouts under new head coach Mike Vrabel. So, maybe he’d be there the next time. But fans were clearly looking for that visual reassurance—the “QB1 spotted in Foxborough” moment.

“Would have liked to see Drake Maye in the clip,” another fan added, no sarcasm, just vibes. And honestly, who wouldn’t? With the Patriots in full rebrand mode, having your shiny new quarterback front and center would’ve made sense. Plus, add the fact that he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Bill Belichick to watch the UNC practice. Yeah, that’s an added spice to the story.

But here, in New England, he left fans checking every frame, wondering if the future face of the franchise was simply off-camera—or still en route. However, this fan’s Boston sarcasm summed it up: “Next on Felger and Mazz… Is Drake Maye not being in the video a sign he hates Vrabel & the team? Is he already lazy? Does him going to UNC and hanging with Bill mean he’s mad at ownership?!?”

It’s a jab wrapped in a roast, poking fun at the city’s favorite sports radio chaos machine. Remember when last season the Pats Nation was calling their takes “fertilizer for a thousand square acres of farmland.” Translation? Overreaction season is in full swing. Because SI’s Mike Kadlick did reveal that Drake Maye’s doing the workout. So, moral of the story? Don’t press the panic button just yet, we are only in April.