The New England Patriots are heading into hostile territory this weekend, with NFL MVP candidate Drake Maye and the upstart squad set to take on the top-seeded Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in the AFC Championship Game.
Fortunately for the Patriots, it looks like the team will have another offensive weapon back on the field for this showdown with the Broncos in Denver, which makes Maye a happy man, potentially having another veteran target in wide receiver Mack Hollins.
Drake Maye Raves About Patriots WR Mack Hollins
GettyMack Hollins #13 and Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots
Although Hollins is still listed as questionable for Sunday’s game in Denver, Maye is happy to have him back on the practice field and trending toward playing in the biggest game of the season for the Patriots thus far.
“Man, Mack’s been awesome,” Maye said of the veteran wideout during media availability. “It’s been awesome having him back. He’s a great player for us, been a great player for us all year. He practices hard. He’s one of those guys that brings it every day and has ever since I met him. I know he started off in OTAs and training camp battling a little injury, but since then, he’s been all gas, no breaks, and that’s how he is. He’s staying, running routes after practice. He’s doing all the little things. I always see him before the games on Saturday nights, drawing every single play up in the pass plays. He does those things, and you can tell why so many different teams wanted him and how he plays at a high level.”
In 15 games played during the 2025 campaign, Hollins has caught 46 passes for 550 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Obviously, these aren’t eye-popping numbers for the veteran wideout, but Maye clearly loves having him on the field, which can only be a positive for New England moving forward.
Mike Vrabel on Drake Maye Being an NFL MVP Finalist
GettyHead coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots speaks with Drake Maye
Earlier this week, the NFL announced that Maye is a finalist for the NFL MVP, a result that was anticipated by many. He joins Matthew Stafford, Christian McCaffrey, Josh Allen and Trevor Lawrence in the final stretch for the prestigious award.
Ahead of Sunday’s playoff game against the Broncos, Vrabel was asked about Maye’s candidacy for the award.
“These individual awards are because the players went out and performed, and they prepared and they had help in their preparation,” Vrabel said of Maye being an NFL MVP finalist. “But ultimately, when they score touchdowns and they run for touchdowns, the player’s going out there and making plays. The coaches have a small part in that and then they do a great job, but again, our success is weighed on the ability of the players to comprehend what’s going on, understand it very quickly, process, and then make a play and make the correct one.”
With Maye set to play the biggest game of his life with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, he’s keeping a level head while not paying attention to any of the noise heading into his playoff showdown in the Mile High City.
“Shoot, I’m not worried about what everybody else thinks,” Maye said. “You worry about people in this locker room, in this building. It’s the biggest game because it’s the next one. I think that’s the best mentality for this team, and we’ve had that mentality all year long. I’ve been proud of how we’ve approached that. I’m looking forward to getting another chance.”
Patriots QB Drake Maye Sends Strong Message on Mack Hollins Returning From Injury