Ahead of the Patriots’ final two games—visiting the Jets and hosting the Dolphins—Maye spoke about the advice he received from McDaniels, already turning his focus toward his first-ever playoff appearance.

“Yeah, I think it’s really important,” the QB started. “Coach McDaniels has talked to me about improving and getting better in practice as you reach the end of the season and reach playoff time. You want to feel like you’re improving in practice, and guys are practicing hard. That translates to the game.

“You want to practice well during the week, and you always feel like you play the best when you have a good week of practice. So, it’s really big on continuing a little winning streak these last couple games, heading into the playoffs feeling good about ourselves and feeling like we’ve still got some work to do.”

Maye’s extraordinary season

Drake Maye has emerged as a top-tier MVP candidate in 2025, showing immense growth under the guidance of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The second-year quarterback has flourished in a more structured system, amassing 3,947 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions through Week 16.

His impressive 73.4 QBR and improved decision-making have transformed the Patriots’ offense into one of the league’s most efficient units, solidifying Maye’s status as a cornerstone franchise player and a legitimate threat to win the league’s highest individual honor.

Eyeing the AFC crown

The race for the AFC’s top seed has reached a fever pitch as the New England Patriots (12-3) battle the Denver Broncos (12-3) for the conference’s lone first-round bye.

To secure the #1 seed, the Patriots must handle business on the road against the Jets before returning home to face the Dolphins in their season finale. While New England controls its destiny for the AFC East title, the Pats are currently neck-and-neck with Broncos, needing to outpace them in the final two weeks to guarantee home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

In a recent interview with Steve Burton of WBZ-TV, Vrabel spoke about McDaniels‘ arrival, who returns to New England for his third stint. One of the things he highlighted about the former Raiders coach is the level of preparation he brings to the Patriots this time around.

“When you talk about Josh [McDaniels], I think schematically and the way he teaches the quarterback. The versatility of the offense and the base foundation of the offense. His growth in that offense, trying to put conflict on the defense and the way he structures a gameplan, having gone against him and seen the system here as a player,” Vrabel started.

“It has evolved and there is a lot more to it than that. I know from our conversations that he’s worked hard and studied, visited and met with people, and we’re going to continue to add things that we feel helps our players and give us an advantage to score touchdowns and take care of the football,” the HC also added.

McDaniels has a promising history in New England, having spent 13 years with the Foxborough franchise and winning no less than three Super Bowl rings as offensive coordinator. Everyone is hoping this story repeats itself once again.

Vrabel makes something clear about Drake Maye

A major topic of debate throughout last season for the Patriots was undoubtedly the quarterback position. During his time as HC, Jerod Mayo repeatedly bet on the experience of Jacoby Brissett, although at certain moments he had to turn to rookie Drake Maye.

Regarding this situation, and also in statements to Steve Burton, new HC Vrabel made it clear what he feels about the former North Carolina player and his desire for Maye to be the starting QB for his team.

“He’s exciting, talented, ready to learn and ready to continue to develop. He’s athletic and mobile, has the ability to make throws to all part of the field with arm talent,” Vrabel said. “But every year is a new process. There will be some new terminology, and some carryover from what he’s had. I know that he’s ready to learn and is excited. We welcome that and want him to lead our football team.“

Antonio Pierce was named as the interim head coach, and Champ Kelly temporarily assumed Zeigler’s role. Their debut came with a resounding victory in Week 9 against the New York Giants.

However, according to a report by Adam Schefter, all the changes implemented would be very costly in the short term for the team. The information points out both dismissals would make the Raiders pay at least $85 million.

Why Josh McDaniels was fired by the Raiders?

In addition to the results, several reports suggest that Josh McDaniels lost the trust of his players. In one of the most surprising stories, it is said that McDaniels allowed Pierce to give a speech in the locker room that changed everything.

Antonio Pierce said that the Raiders should take the 2007 New York Giants as an example after they ended the Patriots’ undefeated season in the Super Bowl. When Josh McDaniels heard that, given his past with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, he told Pierce to never speak that way about New England again.

This episode was reporte by Jay Glazer. “When he finished up that speech, everybody thinks they’re great, except for Josh McDaniels. Josh McDaniels then goes over to him (Pierce) and says: ‘Don’t ever talk about the Patriots like that.’ And then you really saw how divided that building got.”

At that moment, many of the players turned their backs on McDaniels and made it clear to Mark Davis during a meeting. Following the loss to Detroit, the owner decided that it was time for a change, despite the financial implications.

“Unfortunately, I had great hopes for Josh and Dave. It just seemed we were going in the wrong direction. So, with the trade deadline, I just felt it was time to make a change, time to make a move.”

Jimmy Garoppolo was also part of the changes with the Raiders

After leaving the San Francisco 49ers to play in Las Vegas, signing a three-year, $67.5 million contract, a rough start to 2023 also led to Jimmy Garoppolo being benched.

That was the first major decision by interim coach Antonio Pierce, who chose rookie Aidan O’Connell as his starting quarterback. “It will be Aidan, going forward. We just feel like it gives us the best chance.”

Who is Aidan O’Connell?

Aidan O’Connell had a sensational game in Week 9 leading the Las Vegas Raiders to victory against the New York Giants. Now, in a shocking turn of events, they’re very much alive in the AFC playoff race.

O’Connell was born on September 1, 1998, and had a standout collegiate football career with Purdue. Undoubtedly, 2021 was the year that brought him recognition, thanks to a season with 3712 yards and 28 touchdowns, which led to him displacing Jack Plummer, the previous starter.

In 2022, O’Connell once again posted impressive numbers with 3490 yards and 22 touchdowns. At the end of that season, the young quarterback decided to declare himself eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Despite the Raiders signing Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O’Connell was selected by Las Vegas with the 135th overall pick in the Draft. This season, he had already started in the Week 4 game against the Chargers, in which they lost 24-17.

It seems like interim general manager Champ Kelly was right when he warned the NFL about the change. “The guys are rallying behind him. They’re excited to watch him get his opportunity. I was there as Antonio Pierce was speaking to the team and he had their eyes. There was an energy that was tangible in the room. There was a true excitement and guys are geared up to prepare for this weekend.”

Josh McDaniels seemed like a decent choice to fix their woes at first. He came with plenty of pedigree and success as the New England Patriots perennial offensive coordinator, and he had been waiting for another chance to be the main guy for quite a while.

But his first season in charge of the organization was far from encouraging. And instead of addressing some of the most obvious issues, they chose to scapegoat Derek Carr and replace him with Jimmy Garoppolo.

Fast forward to today, and the 3-5 Raiders will have an interim coach for the remainder of the season. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the players — and even some coaches — were actually glad things went that way, as they had already held a meeting to try and get him to change his ways.

Raiders Players Were Done With McDaniels

“Players — and coaches — had ripped into him during the meeting,” Rapoport reported. “The point of the session was to be upfront and honest to try to fix what was wrong for the then-3-4 Raiders. Among the issues addressed: Overcorrecting, long meetings, the ways in which McDaniels attempted to hold players accountable and blaming players for issues with play-calling.”

The report states that McDaniels was a ‘bystander’ in the following practice. He had lost his locker room and looked like ‘a shell of himself.’ It didn’t take long before team owner Mark Davis let him, GM Dave Ziegler, and OC Mick Lombardi that they would be relieved of their duties.

The Raiders were on the heels of a two-game losing streak and failed to make moves ahead of the trade deadline. They could’ve used a boost on both sides of the field, as they currently rank last in total yards per game (288.6), third-worst in points per game (15.8), and third-words in rushing yards allowed per game (140.6).

This Was A Long Time Coming

It’s hard to say that this outcome was surprising. Raiders stars Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams had been quite open about their frustrations with the status of the team — particularly the offense.

Moreover, Mark Davis had reportedly met with them and other players once things started escalating. He got a better glimpse of what was going on with their testimonies before eventually coming to terms with the decision to let McDaniels go:

“As the losses mounted this season, Davis began meeting with players such as running back Josh Jacobs, Adams and other leaders, sometimes over dinner,” Rapoport wrote. “Many of the issues that came up in the team meeting last week had been previously disclosed to Davis privately, which led him to start contemplating a potential change.”

The players seem to be quite excited about Antonio Pierce taking the reins of the team for the remainder of the season. And while making the playoffs could seem out of reach, they still have half of the season ahead of them to turn things around.

As if that wasn’t enough, owner Mark Davis also announced that general manager Dave Ziegler is out and Champ Kelly will temporarily take his place. Big changes after players like Davante Adams complained about the situation.

It’s important to note that, at Josh McDaniels’ request, Jimmy Garoppolo was chosen to replace Carr as the franchise quarterback. As a result, the reaction from the Saints player was highly anticipated.

“I’ve been through it, and this business is so tough that we forget the human side of things. So, my heart is for Josh and Dave and with my friends over there dealing with another change.”

Derek Carr gets real on the firing of Josh McDaniels with Raiders

Furthermore, Derek Carr acknowledged that one of the major issues he experienced with the Raiders was a lack of stability, and what happened with Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler seems to be a new example of that.

“I lost count of how many coaches it was for me at that point. There’s another change for those guys to go through. A new scheme to learn, a new philosophy. That doesn’t make it easy as a player, but at the end of the day, nobody cares. You keep pushing. I wish Dave and Josh the best. As they know, and I’ve told them, I wish them the absolute best. So, to see that it’s hard. It breaks your heart for their families.”

Who will be the new quarterback of the Raiders?

The first major decision by Antonio Pierce as interim head coach was to announce that Jimmy Garoppolo will have to go to the bench, while Aidan O’Connell will be the starter against the New York Giants.

Champ Kelly, the interim GM, supported the announcement. “The guys are rallying behind him. They’re excited to watch him get his opportunity. I was there as Antonio Pierce was speaking to the team and he had their eyes. There was an energy that was tangible in the room. There was a true excitement and guys are geared up to prepare for this weekend.”

Who is Aidan O’Connell?

Aidan O’Connell was born on September 1, 1998, and had a standout collegiate football career with Purdue. Undoubtedly, 2021 was the year that brought him recognition, thanks to a season with 3712 yards and 28 touchdowns, which led to him displacing Jack Plummer, the previous starter.

In 2022, O’Connell once again posted impressive numbers with 3490 yards and 22 touchdowns. At the end of that season, the young quarterback decided to declare himself eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Despite the Raiders signing Jimmy Garoppolo, Aiden O’Connell was selected by Las Vegas with the 135th overall pick in the Draft. This season, he already started in the Week 4 game against the Chargers, in which they lost 24-17.

Raiders fans received some of the best news they’ve heard recently, as team owner Mark Davis finally decided to part ways with Josh McDaniels after multiple requests from the club’s followers.

With this unexpected and shocking move, Davis promoted Antonio Pierce from linebackers coach to head coach. This decision will undoubtedly bring change to the franchise, and players are already excited about it.

Davante Adams gets real on the Raiders moving on from Josh McDaniels

Last year, the Raiders acquired Davante Adams via trade with the Green Bay Packers, providing Derek Carr with one of his college partners and a top wide receiver.

Despite the coaching problems, Davante Adams had a standout first season as a Raider, finishing the year with 100 receptions for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns. However, his second campaign was expected to be quite different.

During this offseason, the Raiders decided to part ways with Derek Carr. When Adams signed with Las Vegas, the quarterback was the main reason why he decided to join the AFC West team, but the club’s front office thought it was time for a change and signed Jimmy Garoppolo.

However, this change didn’t yield the expected results. After eight games, the Raiders hold a 3-5 record. While Jimmy G has been criticized, the team’s front office recognized that the real issue was with their coaching staff.

At the end of Week 8, following their loss to the Detroit Lions, the Raiders made the decision to part ways with Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. In their place, Antonio Pierce was appointed as the new head coach, a decision that Davante Adams appears to fully support.

“I’m ready to run through a wall for that man,” Adams said on his new coach. “It’s a good feeling.” According to several members of the team, Pierce’s experiences as a player will bring something different, as he clearly understands better what happens on the field.

Who is Antonio Pierce?

Antonio Pierce, the new interim head coach of the Raiders, played nine seasons as a linebacker in the NFL. He managed to win Super Bowl XLII with the New York Giants, defeating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Pierce retired at the end of the 2009 season. He started his coaching career with Long Beach Poly HS in 2014, but it was until 2022 that he entered the NFL to be the linebackers coach of the Raiders.

Raiders fans woke up this Wednesday to some amazing news. Josh McDaniels has been relieved of his duties as head coach, as the team never really thrived under his leadership.

McDaniels concluded his tenure with the Raiders, leaving behind a disappointing 9-16 record. As the second half of the season kicks off, the team is in search of his replacement, and several notable names have emerged in connection with the franchise.

Jim Harbaugh and the other options to coach the Raiders

After two terrible years, the Raiders have finally parted ways with Josh McDaniels. Despite arriving with high expectations, he never lived up to them, and the team grappled with doubts during his tenure as head coach.

Throughout the first eight games of the 2023 NFL season, fans asked the team’s front office to move on from McDaniels. Mark Davis, owner of the team, rejected these requests, but he finally accepted his mistake and fired the head coach after their loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 8.

Now, Antonio Pierce will be promoted to be the head coach. He was working as linebackers coach with Josh McDaniels, but the team’s front office has decided to give him an opportunity to lead the club until the end of the season.

Nevertheless, it is highly unlikely that Pierce will continue as the head coach. For this reason, several names have emerged as candidates to take the job in the near future, and some star candidates may appear on Davis’ wish list.

Jim Harbaugh (Michigan HC)

As of today, there are no rumors about possible candidates. However, there are some coaches available that Mark Davis could seduce with a lucrative deal to join their cause, and Jim Harbaugh is obviously the main option.

The Michigan Wolverines’ head coach was linked to the Denver Broncos last year, but he declined their offer to remain in college. Moving to the NFL won’t erase his NCAA discipline issues, but a lucrative contract could entice him to return to the league.

Deion Sanders (Colorado HC)

Another option could be Deion Sanders, who has recently shined with the Colorado Buffaloes. The head coach has been tempted by several teams to join the NFL, but he’s not currently interested.

However, CBS’s Pete Prisco recently said that the Raiders should pursue Deion Sanders. He thinks that Prime Time has what it takes to lead his coaches and solve difficult situations during games.

Frank Smith (Dolphins OC)

Whenever a team begins to shine, other clubs aim to poach their top talents. Now, it appears that the Miami Dolphins could face a potential dismantling at the end of the 2023 season, with OC Frank Smith emerging as one of the most sought-after names on their roster.

Working alongside Mike McDaniel, Smith has built one of the most formidable offenses in the league. Taking on a head coaching role would be a significant career advancement, but rebuilding the Raiders would present a substantial challenge.

“After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave. I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best.”

Currently, Antonio Pierce, who was working as the linebackers coach, has been officially named as the interim head coach of the Raiders and will be in charge of the game in Week 9 against the New York Giants.

After that matchup, Las Vegas will face the New York Jets, the Miami Dolphins, and the Kansas City Chiefs. Following that game against Patrick Mahomes, they will have their bye week. Whether there will be a permanent coach announced this year, that remains to be seen.

Who will replace Josh McDaniels as head coach?

Antonio Pierce will be the interim coach, but the Raiders have not yet determined for how long. It would be very surprising for a long-term coach to arrive in the middle of the season, and, in a very important detail, it will all depend on whether the new chosen one believes that Jimmy Garoppolo is the ideal player as quarterback.

The Las Vegas Raiders have had a disappointing 2023 season with a record of 3-5. Furthermore, the Monday Night game against Detroit was full of mistakes, and most notably, Davante Adams’ frustration after not being involved on offense as a star player.

The wide receiver’s complaints were a clear example that McDaniels simply wasn’t the best path forward. Additionally, the head coach was responsible for a critical decision for the team when he let go Derek Carr to sign Jimmy Garoppolo.

So far, Garoppolo doesn’t seem to be the franchise quarterback the Raiders were hoping for and his teammates are frustrated. Although Mark Davis didn’t disclose the reasons for firing Josh McDaniels, this could be one of the main arguments.

How much is Josh McDaniels contract worth?

In January 2022, Josh McDaniels signed a six-year contract with the Raiders that would pay him $10 million per season. Despite firing the coach, Las Vegas would still have to pay him that money.

What’s next for the Las Vegas Raiders?

Despite the crisis the Las Vegas Raiders are going through, we must not forget that just two years ago, this team made it to the playoffs under the guidance of interim coach Rich Bisaccia and came close to eliminating the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.

That’s why when Josh McDaniels was signed a few months later, the expectations were high, considering his past as the offensive mind behind Tom Brady in the New England Patriots.

However, the team’s rebuilding process began with a 6-11 season in 2022, but the glimmer of hope was that 9 of their 11 losses were by one score. The problem was that McDaniels’ decisions in 2023, as well as those of general manager Dave Ziegler, have prompted the management to drastically change course. Now, the Raiders are entering a new era.

Notably, the Raiders let a 14-0 lead slip right through their fingers. They also had a chance to tie the game with under five minutes left in the fourth quarter, yet they made an uber-aggressive and somewhat questionable call.

Instead of tying the game with an extra point attempt, the Raiders put the ball on Josh Jacobs‘ hands to attempta two-point conversion. He was stuffed short of the goal line, and the rest is history.

NFL News: Josh McDaniels Explains Why Raiders Went For Two In Loss To Chiefs

“I felt like in that situation, [Kansas City] had a lot of momentum offensively, obviously in the second half,” HC Josh McDaniels told ESPN. “We had a play that we felt really good about. I thought we would get a look that gave us a shot at it.”

Notably, both Josh Jacobs and Derek Carr agreed with McDaniels’ decision to go for the win instead of tying the game. They knew what was at stake, this being a divisional game and with their 1-3 record on the line:

“That’s what we wanted,” Jacobs said after the game. “We knew we was going to be in that situation. It’s crazy, all week we were talking about third-and-1s, fourth-and-1s, 2-point play.”

“When I got the ball and the safety shot the hole, I knew it was going to be hairy. I really blame myself because I could have reached the ball over,” the Alabama product added. “I know we harp on not reaching the ball, but that was a situation where it wouldn’t have mattered if I did. So, I’ll just put that on my shoulders. I could have reached the ball over.”

“I liked it, I like being aggressive, especially on the road, I’m all on board,” Carr said. “When we scored, I was excited, but I was already telling people, ‘Hey, 2!’ And then I looked at Josh [McDaniels], and he said it in my headset … from my view, I thought Josh [Jacobs] was in. I thought his knee stayed off the ground. I mean, we’re this close from being up 31-30.”

The Raiders are a long shot at makingthe playoffs right now, but at least they’ve shown signs of improvement every week. More than that, it’s clear that the players trust and believe in Josh McDaniels, which can go a long way in this league.

The Raiders blew a huge lead vs. the Arizona Cardinals and dropped two close games to the Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans. Decision-making and clock management were quite questionable for the most part.

That’s why getting that first win was such a massive breath of fresh air for the Raiders. And that’s also why Derek Carr took the time to vow his support and confidence for McDaniels and his staff.

NFL News: Derek Carr Says Win ‘Validates’ Josh McDaniels As A Coach

“I think for him, he’s trying to preach the right thing,” Carr told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “He’s trying to teach us how to do it and the way that he’s seen success. I think now it validates some of the things he emphasized, and I would let him talk about what he emphasized. But the things he emphasized in the game, we did it in practice and then we did it in the game, and we won.”

“I think it validates it for him,” the QB added. “I didn’t even think about it being against his former team, but I gave him the ball at the end. I kept that for him and I said, ‘I know that you got a lot of wins at the other place, but it’s your first one here.’ I was able to do that, and that was a special moment for me to be able to hand that to him.”

Making the playoffs after a 0-3 start is a complicated task, to say the least, let alone in football’s toughest division. But the Raiders have plenty of talent on both sides of the field, so maybe this was just the catalyst they needed to get back on track.

The Pats’ defense kept them in the race for a playoff berth last season, but the offense was pedestrian at best. Mac Jones showed promise, all things considered, but Josh McDaniels’ departure could take a bigger toll than most people realize.

That’s why McDaniels himself took the time to address the situation and give his mentor a vote of confidence. Simply put, he thinks Belichick knows way more than the rest of us and trusts he’ll come up with something in due time.

NFL News: Josh McDaniels Says Bill Belichick Always Has A Plan

“I mean, I really don’t know exactly what everybody’s doing over there. I just know that they’ve got a lot of really good coaches,” McDaniels told the media. “And I was in a position once where I was on the defensive side of the ball for a couple years, then I moved over and coached quarterbacks for one year, and then all of a sudden the next thing I’m doing is being ready to call the offense after being on the offensive side for one year. And I remember nobody believed that that was really the case.”

“Look, I think at the end of the day, Bill has a plan for whatever he wants to do,” McDaniels added. “And that plan, sometimes he has foresight that some of the rest of us don’t have. I didn’t have it when he pushed me ahead and helped me do that. So, I’ve got a lot of friends over there, I’ve got a lot of people over there that I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for. Coaching is coaching.”

Bill Belichick is one of the greatest masterminds in football history, if not the greatest. So, yeah, he can get a pass. But this wouldn’t be the first time his stubbornness gets in the way of success, so let’s hope he does have a plan up his sleeve this time again.