Callahan: Drake Maye looks more advanced than we thought
On Tuesday’s Toucher & Hardy program, Andrew Callahan analyzed Drake Maye’s performance versus the Houston Texans.
Callahan: ‘All-Arm Talent’
Parts of conversation abbreviated for clarity.
Hardy: Beyond the interception, when Drake Maye settled into the game a little bit, he looked more like a legit starting quarterback. Not to pick on Jacoby Brissett, but he did his job.
And Brissett accepted all of this remarkably graciously. This past week he talked about how he knew he was the placeholder. And how it was his responsibility to help get Drake made ready. It’s his job now to continue to make sure he’s prepared. So, this isn’t any knock on Jacoby Brissett.
He looks like the closest thing the Patriots have had to an NFL-caliber starting quarterback. This goes back to Tom Brady. I can’t think of another one. It wasn’t. It wasn’t Cam Newton, Bailey Zappe, or Jacoby Brissett.
Andrew Callahan: Well, during the height of Mac Jones’ rookie year, everyone said, “We got a quarterback here.”
But we know Mac Jones was different, right? He was well-protected and had weapons. You could argue those weapons were better than the ones that Drake Maye has now.
And I’ll add this, it wasn’t just the arm and the legs that were all wowing. We all expected that because that’s who he was in North Carolina. There were nuances here within the game, Hardy, that I look and go, “Okay, he’s doing advanced stuff.”
Not only advanced stuff right away but all of this against a great defense. For example, this is probably my favorite play in the whole game. They’re backed up at the start of that two-minute drill right before halftime.
Maye makes a full-field progression read. He goes all the way from the left side of the field where he had a two-route combination—that was covered by the defense. He goes back to the right side while the pocket is closing.
Finally, he lets it out for Demario Douglas and takes a huge hit. Douglas gets it and zips up the sideline for 22 yards.
That’s toughness, focus, and processing. The throw he made was taking a hop step off the platform. This was all-arm talent stuff that quarterbacks who have been here before can’t do.
And later, besides just picking on Douglas against man coverage, he’s shimmying zone defenders out of their spots where they’re supposed to drop. All of this opens up a 13-yard completion to Kayshon Boutte in the fourth quarter. The small stuff is there with Maye.
Segment Audio
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Integrity Matters: What Borrowing Tony Massarotti's Headphones Taught Me About Responsibility
Borrowing Without Asking is a No-Go:
Here are my headphones. Sony MDR 7506 – The industry standard in radio. Almost everybody at the station has them, including Mazz. (Credit: Nick Gemelli)
Even though I intended to return the headphones, I should’ve asked first. It’s about respecting people’s space and belongings. Just because I was in a bind doesn’t mean I should’ve taken the shortcut.
Accountability is Key:
The site of the crime, which i’m guilty of doing. The cubicle of Tony Massarotti. Michael Felger, his co-host, has his cubicle right behind Mazz’s. (Credit: Nick Gemelli)
I had someone else try to fix my mistake, but let’s be real—that’s not accountability. It was my job to make sure the headphones got back to Mazz’s desk. Delegating that was just shifting the blame.
Owning Mistakes is Essential:
The mini fridge heavily discussed during Friday’s segment on Toucher & Hardy. It’s very small and not sure the point for such a small fridge (Credit: Nick Gemelli)
Offering to replace the headphones wasn’t just a gesture—it was the right thing to do. When you make a mistake, you fix it. No excuses. Integrity means taking responsibility, even for small things.
Integrity is Everything to Me:
Tony Massarotti’s new replacement headphones, if his original pair are not located. (Credit: Nick Gemelli)
This wasn’t just about a pair of headphones. It was about making sure I uphold the trust people place in me—whether it’s co-workers or listeners. I care deeply about my reputation, and situations like this remind me that small actions can reflect larger values.
