“A Match Made in Heaven”: Vince Wilfork on Josh McDaniels' Patriots Return, Drake Maye’s Development

Vince Wilfork breaks down Josh McDaniels' Patriots return (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

New England Patriots great Vince Wilfork knows first hand what offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels brings to the table.

Wilfork is best known for his 11-season tenure with the Patriots (2004-2014) and McDaniels was there for the majority of it, serving in a number of capacities, including most notably as the offensive coordinator. The Patriots brought back McDaniels for a third stint with the franchise after hiring Mike Vrabel as their new head coach.

McDaniels has won six Super Bowls with the Patriots and was there for every Super Bowl run in franchise history.

 “We have to wait and see, but I do know he's a mastermind when it comes to coaching," said Wilfork in a one-on-one interview with RG. “Quarterbacks and offense, he can put together the schemes and strategies. He was with Tom Brady for so long, and he knew Tom in and out and what Tom liked, what Tom didn't like, and they took chances and stuff like that.”

Wilfork says it'll be different this time around with Drake Maye, who's a more athletic quarterback. Although Maye and Tom Brady – a prototypical pocket passer – are two different quarterbacks, the five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle says McDaniels will figure out a way to scheme around his new mobile passer.

 “He can move, he can hurt you on the ground,” said Wilfork of Maye.

“It's going to be interesting to see what he draws up, but trust me, he will draw up something.  He's very schematic when it comes to all that stuff, and very smart and very brilliant when it comes down to offensive and quarterback play. Drake Maye is in good hands.”

Wilfork calls the match between all three – McDaniels, Vrabel and Maye – as a “match made in heaven” because it's an “all-star cast” of coaches. The Patriots great says McDaniels is the best coach to maximize Maye's ability.

 “You have an all-star cast of coaches,” said Wilfork of the Patriots. “You just plugged one of the best offensive coordinators in the last 10-to-20 years in Josh McDaniels. To have him come aboard with a new coach and Mike and Josh, they know each other, they've been in New England together. They have some familiarity between one another. It's a match made in heaven.”

Although the Patriots finished with one of the worst records in the NFL at 4-13, the change in infrastructure leads Wilfork to believe New England could compete for a wild card playoff berth next season. He predicts the Patriots will win eight games next season.

“ I will not be shocked if they win eight games, or they look very, very different than they've been looking over the past four or five years. Let's put it that way. I guarantee you they will.”

Another one of Wilfork's former coaches, Bill Belichick, is coaching the North Carolina Tar Heels for the 2025 season. Wilfork spent all but two of his seasons in the NFL playing for Belichick.

While he was “surprised” that Belichick decided to coach the college ranks for the first time rather than returning to the NFL, Wilfork says it makes sense considering his dad coached at North Carolina and when factoring in that longtime friend Nick Saban also made the same move from the NFL to college.

Saban is considered the greatest college football coach of all time while Belichick is considered the greatest NFL coach ever. Both coached together at the NFL level when Saban served as Belichick's defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns.

 “Saban has done it and Saban has come out and said some of the stuff he did and how he structured Alabama, Bill taught him that. Saban was successful, so if he has any of the success that Saban has had, he's going to be pretty solid.”

Wilfork makes sure to mention that the Tar Heels are getting the “greatest coach” of all time.

“One thing I will tell you, that's the greatest coach of all time,” said Wilfork of Belichick. “I don't care where he goes, I don't know who he's coaching, he will win some football games. North Carolina got the best coach ever, that came to college just for them.”