Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel say Super Bowl champion Seahawks a tough way to start for Patriots, but also a great opportunity
FOXBOROUGH — The 2026 Patriots will pick up where the 2025 team left off. Specifically, against the Seahawks.
With the Patriots scheduled to open the regular season in Seattle on Sept. 9, quarterback Drake Mayeand coach Mike Vrabel said the chance to start against the team that turned out the lights on them in Super Bowl LX should provide a psychological boost this summer.
“It’s a chance for us to get some extra motivation during camp,” said Maye after Wednesday’s OTA session. “Starting off with the bang, you know? A chance to get an opponent that left a bad taste in our mouth.
“I think it’s something for us that’s going to really make us work. We’ve got to bring it Week 1. On the road, in a tough environment, they’ll hang their banner. That’s a part of it. So I think it’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a tough task. So it’ll be something for us to consider when it comes to motivation and making training camp better.”
Traditionally, Seattle’s Lumen Field is one of the loudest stadiums in the league. With the emotion associated with opening night against the defending champions, the challenge becomes that much greater.
“That would be a tough game when and wherever we played it,” Vrabel said. “But I think we’ll eventually be ready for the challenge. We’re clearly not ready yet. I don’t think anybody is. But that’s what we’ll build to. We’ll have to handle the environment; that’ll test us early.”
The Seahawks crushed the Patriots in the Super Bowl, 29-13. The offense couldn’t get out of neutral all evening, as the Seahawks pitched a shutout through three quarters.
It was a forgettable game for Maye, who finished 27 of 43 for 295 yards, with two touchdowns, two interceptions, and six sacks. Maye said he went back and watched the game and has been able to pick up some lessons along the way, including that there were “a lot of plays I wish I had back.”
In the end, it’s about learning from the mistakes.
“People always say flush it. I think it’s hard to flush a game like that,” Maye said. “At the same time, you learn from it, and let it motivate you.
“We didn’t play our best, as a team, and especially myself. You know, we should have played better. But it’s something I can work on today or work on tomorrow to get back and just try to get to that same spot and be on the right side with the same stakes.”
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Defensive tackle Milton Williams, who has played in the last two Super Bowls (winning with the Eagles, losing with the Patriots) said September in Seattle will be different than February in Santa Clara, Calif.
Regardless, he’ll be ready to roll.
“The Super Bowl vs. the regular season … that’s a different thing,” said Williams. “But you know, whoever we play — I don’t care who we play. I’m ready for the challenge.”
What can Brown do for you? Plenty.
Williams, who was a teammate of wide receiver A.J. Brown in Philadelphia, was asked if it was tough not to play general manager when it came to putting together a potential deal for Brown.
“You see the noise, and you see a hell of a player,” Williams said. “[He] can definitely help our team. But they don’t pay me to do that.”
Williams was quick to respond when asked what made Brown so special.
“Great dude, you know?” he said. “A monster on the field, great in the locker room, you know, holding guys accountable and holding himself accountable. That’s everything you want in a player of his caliber.”
Maye said he’s aware of the trade rumors involving Brown, but was taking it in stride.
“I think it’s a part of the NFL,” he said with a smile. “They throw names around there, around every team, depending whoever looks best in the graphic and the jersey on social media. I’m really just focused on the guys in here that I’m working with.
“I know there’s a lot of talk with that. If he ends up being on our team, great. What a great player. If he doesn’t, we still have these guys here. It’s a tough balance. But I know he’s a phenomenal player.”
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