On Monday, Mike Vrabel was asked on The Greg Hill Show about offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ role in Drake Maye’s development, which has led to a sophomore season that through six weeks has the 23-year-old playing like a legit MVP candidate.
While answering the question, he mixed in praise for first-year quarterback coach Ashton Grant.
Here’s what Vrabel said on Monday:
“I think the relationship - you talked about Josh - I think the relationship is great. I think we have a young quarterback coach that we feel very strongly about in Ashton Grant. And I think he serves a different purpose than Josh.
“Josh has one relationship with the quarterbacks, and I think Ashton has another, and I think that's a good dynamic. I think Josh continues to put things on their plate, especially Drake, and give him things to look for, look at, and continue to develop.”
As sports radio hosts and callers are wont to do, this answer from Vrabel has been dissected all week.
Why did he mention Grant?
Is there a reason he doesn’t want to give McDaniels full credit?
The question was about McDaniels, why is he mentioning the QB coach?
Don’t worry, every iteration of this question has been asked by either a host or a caller on the WEEI airwaves.
So, naturally, when it was time for McDaniels to take the podium for his weekly press conference on Thursday, the first question he was asked was about this answer from Vrabel on Monday.
Here’s McDaniels’ extended answer:
“I mean, Ashton’s a really bright, young coach who does a great job of a lot of little details, a lot of things that really help bring the gameplan to life. All of our study preparations, our cut-ups, coverage details, individual technique drills, a lot of little things that are, you know - they’re big for the quarterback, you know?
“And so Ashton does a tremendous job of putting all those together every week. And when he has individual time with the QBs, it’s always productive. Because it’s either helping them improve something technically or fundamentally at that position, or helping us get closer to really understanding the opponent that we’re getting ready to play, etc.
“And like I said, sometimes my time is a little bit more ‘big picture’ and global with the offense, and the installation and all that stuff. So I’m not 100% sure if that is what he was referring to, but I’m assuming that’s in that ballpark. But no, Ashton does a tremendous job with those guys. I have a lot of confidence in him and everything he does.”
Coincidentally, Grant had his regularly scheduled every-other-week post-practice scrum in the Gillette Stadium press room on Thursday. Like McDaniels, he was asked about this topic at the top:
For those looking to read between the lines - have at it!
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.