New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye made his debut start on Sunday against the Houston Texans, and second-year wide receiver DeMario Douglas gave him encouraging words that stayed with him.
Douglas played a key role in the rookie quarterback’s successful debut start. The speedy wide receiver caught six passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. He praised Maye heavily following the game, as the two appeared to have established a connection on the field.
Douglas said that he would “run through a wall” for Maye. The North Carolina product took that remark to heart and explained what it meant to him.
“It means the world to me,” Maye told media members. “It gives me confidence. I think those guys do a great job of pumping me up. They were pumping me up throughout the game on the sideline, before the game, in the huddle.
“They do a great job. I think wide receivers, they’ve always got the most swag. So our guys always got some swag. So, it’s nice to hear something like that. Just know for those guys, I’d do the same for them.”
Establishing a Douglas-Maye connection will bode well for the future. The Patriots have undergone a youth movement on the offensive side of the ball, and the quarterback and wide receiver will be a major part of the team’s offensive identity.
