Best of Scoop City Season 1: Josh Allen, Jordan Love and Drake Maye on what it takes to lead an NFL Franchise.

Summary

Podcast Summary: Best of Scoop City Season 1 Episode: Josh Allen, Jordan Love, and Drake Maye on What It Takes to Lead an NFL Franchise
Release Date: June 30, 2025
Host: Diana Rossini
Platform: The Athletic’s Scoop City

---

Introduction

In this standout episode of "Best of Scoop City Season 1," host Diana Rossini delves into the intricacies of leadership within NFL franchises by engaging with three prominent quarterbacks: Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers, and Drake Maye of the New England Patriots. The discussion navigates through their personal experiences, leadership styles, team dynamics, and the challenges of steering their respective teams toward success.

---

Interview with Josh Allen

Timestamp: [01:55] – [12:09]

Reputation and Perception Josh Allen opens the conversation by addressing his controversial reputation within the NFL. When asked about the debate surrounding whether he's overrated, Allen responds thoughtfully:

"[02:50] Josh Allen: I see it as a term of endearment. My players and teammates know who I am, and that's what matters to me."
(02:50)

He emphasizes that being disliked by a significant majority of NFL teams and their fanbases only underscores the competitive nature of his profession and his impact on the field.

Trash-Talking and Competitiveness Diana probes into Allen’s reputation as the "best trash talker," to which he humbly downplays his current involvement:

"[03:57] Josh Allen: I've focused more on playing football rather than trash-talking in recent years, though I guess some competitive edge gets through."
(03:57)

Leadership and Team Dynamics Allen discusses his leadership philosophy, highlighting the importance of camaraderie and mutual respect:

"[08:03] Josh Allen: We have 11 guys who love and care about each other and play for each other. That's the foundation of our team."
(08:03)

He acknowledges the pressure of his role but maintains a composed outlook:

"[08:43] Josh Allen: I don't feel a ton of pressure. I've had conversations with mentors like Von Miller, and I trust in the process."
(08:43)

Adapting to Team Changes With changes in his receiving corps, Allen emphasizes the need for adaptability:

"[06:46] Josh Allen: Our new receivers are young and talented. It's going to be an adjustment period, but I'm excited about their potential."
(06:46)

Humorous Anecdotes Allen shares a light-hearted moment regarding his commitment to wearing sleeves during a cold game:

"[11:29] Josh Allen: I did tell you that I was not gonna wear sleeves. That was my bad."
(11:29)

Closing Remark In a playful finale, Allen reveals a surprising talent:

"[11:44] Josh Allen: I beat Mack Hollins in chess twice yesterday. That's a pretty big deal."
(11:44)

---

Interview with Drake Maye

Timestamp: [14:01] – [35:32]

Transition to the Patriots Drake Maye reflects on his transition from the Green Bay Packers to the New England Patriots, highlighting the learning curve and opportunities under new leadership:

"[25:30] Drake Maye: Watching Aaron Rodgers work was eye-opening. It showed me how much more I have to keep working on."
(25:30)

Learning from Legends Maye discusses the influence of Aaron Rodgers on his development:

"[17:14] Drake Maye: Watching Aaron's footwork and throwing mechanics has been invaluable. I'm incorporating those muscle memories into my game."
(17:14)

Leadership and Team Goals He elaborates on the elevated mindset and goals within his team:

"[19:04] Drake Maye: Our goal is the NFC North Championship and the Super Bowl. We've set high standards and strive to meet them every day."
(19:04)

Playoff Experience Maye shares insights from his playoff experiences, emphasizing their impact on the team:

"[19:56] Drake Maye: Having playoff experience changes how you approach the game. The stakes are higher, and every decision matters."
(19:56)

Locker Room Camaraderie A humorous segment reveals the team's competitive spirit beyond the field:

"[22:02] Drake Maye: We added a ping pong table to the locker room, and it's been a hot spot for competition. I'm not great, but it adds to the fun."
(22:02)

Fun and Lighthearted Moments Maye engages in a playful "may or may not" game with Diana, showcasing his personality:

"[35:08] Drake Maye: I'm looking forward to the PNG Battle of the Paddles. My brothers would be disappointed if I don't come out with the title."
(35:08)

Closing Remarks Maye expresses enthusiasm for the upcoming season and his role within the Patriots:

"[35:32] Drake Maye: Thanks for having me. Go Fast!"
(35:32)

---

Segment with Jordan Love

Timestamp: [16:21] – [34:08]

While the primary focus is on Josh Allen and Drake Maye, Jordan Love makes a notable appearance where he discusses his experiences and observations within the Packers organization.

Draft and Rookie Experiences Love reflects on his rookie season and the mentorship under Aaron Rodgers:

"[16:29] Drake Maye: Seeing Aaron Rodgers' confidence and control of the offense was an eye-opening experience for me."
(16:29)

Leadership Style He outlines his approach to leadership as a young quarterback:

"[31:06] Jordan Love: My style is to get to know the guys personally before taking shots at their work. Building personal relationships is key."
(31:06)

Offseason Goals Love identifies areas for personal improvement and leadership development:

"[29:48] Jordan Love: I'm working on situational football, decision-making in the red zone, and leadership within the locker room."
(29:48)

Locker Room Dynamics He shares insights into the Packers' locker room environment:

"[21:45] Jordan Love: We have a great locker room with excellent teammates. Adding a ping pong table has increased the fun and competition."
(21:45)

Fun Interactions Love participates in the "may or may not" game, adding a light-hearted touch to the segment.

---

Key Insights and Conclusions

1. Adaptability in Leadership: Both Allen and Maye emphasize the importance of adapting to team changes and leveraging new opportunities to lead effectively.

2. Mentorship and Learning: Learning from seasoned professionals like Aaron Rodgers has been pivotal in shaping their leadership styles and on-field strategies.

3. Team Cohesion: Building strong, personal relationships within the team fosters trust and enhances overall performance.

4. Handling Pressure: Maintaining composure and focusing on controllable aspects of the game helps in managing the inherent pressures of leading an NFL franchise.

5. Balancing Competitiveness and Camaraderie: Engaging in team activities, both competitive and recreational, strengthens team bonds and creates a positive locker room atmosphere.

6. Continuous Improvement: Commitment to personal and professional growth is a recurring theme, highlighting the quarterbacks' dedication to excellence.

---

Notable Quotes

• "[02:50] Josh Allen: I see it as a term of endearment. My players and teammates know who I am, and that's what matters to me."

• "[08:03] Josh Allen: We have 11 guys who love and care about each other and play for each other. That's the foundation of our team."

• "[25:30] Drake Maye: Watching Aaron Rodgers work was eye-opening. It showed me how much more I have to keep working on."

• "[19:56] Drake Maye: Having playoff experience changes how you approach the game. The stakes are higher, and every decision matters."

• "[31:06] Jordan Love: My style is to get to know the guys personally before taking shots at their work. Building personal relationships is key."

---

Conclusion

This episode of "Scoop City" offers a profound look into the minds of three NFL quarterbacks as they navigate the challenges of leadership, team dynamics, and personal growth. Through candid discussions and insightful anecdotes, Josh Allen, Drake Maye, and Jordan Love provide listeners with a deeper understanding of what it takes to lead an NFL franchise successfully. Whether it's managing reputations, fostering team cohesion, or striving for continuous improvement, their shared experiences underscore the multifaceted nature of leadership in professional football.

Transcript

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[Diana Rossini]

Hello everybody. Welcome into Scoop City. I'm the athletic senior NFL Insider Diana Rossini. I hope your summer is going swell. Make sure you like and subscribe to our Scoop City YouTube channel. And make sure you leave some comments too. We love to hear from you guys. We are continuing our Best of Scoop City Season 1 series here where we're taking a look back on some of our most interesting, intriguing and really standout conversations. And today we're going to go into some of the biggest quarterbacks in the league. From a second year QB in New England to a rising star in Green Bay, to a reigning MVP himself and a new groom in Buffalo. Here is a look back at some of the star quarterbacks from last season. Josh Allen Josh Everywhere I look it seems that people are trying to debate an issue of whether or not you're overrated. When you see that and you hear that what is the reaction been for you?

[Josh Allen]

Well, I mean, I think our profession is exactly what it is. And if 31 other fan bases and 31 other teams like you, you, you got a problem. Right? The other teams shouldn't like you, the other players shouldn't like you, the fan bases shouldn't like you. So 30, you know, 31 out of 32 teams, that's over, I don't know, in percentage wise, that's 90. Over 90% of every NFL fan shouldn't like me in theory. Right. So I see it as a term of endearment. At the same time, my players and my teammates know what I am and who I am and, and what we do over here in Buffalo. And that's all that matters to me.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, and that's all that matters. But you know, I saw that you put out that you like the fact that you were voted the best trash talker. And look, I've known you a really long time. You're a really nice person. You've always just been the same guy since the day you were drafted. I don't think of you as being vicious and I've obviously misread this. Are you that good of a trash talker? Like, would you put yourself in a top tier. If we're going to do top tier quarterbacks, are you a top tier trash talker?

[Josh Allen]

If you would have, if you would ask me this my first two years, I would have said absolutely. But I feel like I really haven't talked all that much the last couple of years. I've just tried to focus on playing football, but apparently I get under some guy's skin. So that's, that is what it is. I'm not trying to be malicious. I'm just a very competitive guy and I'm gonna have my teammates back at the end of the day and maybe that's what they take for trash talking. But I'm not going out there and trying to get an edge mentally by saying things like that. That's not my game. So, yeah, again, I'm sure there's other guys that compete with me, but maybe I'm the only one that just talks back.

[Diana Rossini]

Is there a go to line that you go to? Like, is there like a one line that you're like, yeah, that one works, that one, that one burns a little that you have up there in a situation where you're like, I'm going to throw that one out.

[Josh Allen]

I mean, a couple of years ago it's like, turn around, let me see your name. Like, that's that'd be the one. But I haven't used that in so long. So again, maybe this is just based on the reputation from the first couple years, because I feel like I try to be nice to the defense now so they don't hit me as hard.

[Diana Rossini]

You know, Makes sense. The nobody knows who you are.

[Jordan Love]

That.

[Diana Rossini]

That cuts deep. Right. Because that makes every human being go, wow, I wonder if people really don't know who I am. Right? It's like, yeah, look, I know we're kind of like joking about the anonymous polls and stuff and, you know, I don't know if you've ever been asked to be part of one, but if you wanted to ever do that, is there a topic that you think would be really interesting that you'd want to be part of if. If someone anonymously asked you, like. So let's talk about this topic, about things in the league. Is there something that you'd be really curious about?

[Josh Allen]

Best flopper? Oh, I'd be up there. I think so.

[Diana Rossini]

You think you're. Do you think you over flop? Are you a flopper?

[Josh Allen]

Maybe times. Maybe at times, but I wouldn't say. I wouldn't say yes. I think I've gotten away from that. But sometimes you got it. You got to sell it just a little bit more to try to help your team. You know, it's like when DBs are holding and then they put their hands up at the last second or wide receivers throw their hands up because they're, you know, the ball's overthrown. It's just like that.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, I appreciate that. It, you know, you came up with the topic and you voted yourself top of the tier of the. Of that actual poll.

[Josh Allen]

So I played a win.

[Diana Rossini]

Our work is done here at the Athletic. We got our article. It'll be up on the. You mentioned your receivers. Obviously things have changed there. In terms of your weapons. For you as a quarterback, is there something that. Is there one part of your game that you feel like you definitely need to lock in this year? Just knowing this room is. Is really young compared to what you had last year with Stefan Diggs and Gabe Davis Field in terms of the production of this offense?

[Josh Allen]

Yeah, I think he's got a lot of short game quickness and I think people underestimate that about him. When we go in one on ones, he can play the slot, he could play outside, and his releases are pretty dang good. He's strong at the point of catch. So again, it's going to be an adjustment period. It's not going to be perfect right away, but we're going to keep working and continuing to get better. And I'm very excited to see what we've seen out of him through training camp so far. And, you know, hopefully we have a long time together.

[Diana Rossini]

Has he done anything that's made you laugh as, like, the leader of this team? Like, you know, he's so young, you know, so much more because you have so much experience. You've been doing this for a while. Has he said anything or shown you anything or portrayed anything where you're just like, oh, my goodness?

[Josh Allen]

I don't think there's a day that's gone by where he hasn't made people laugh. You know, he's. He's a very boisterous guy. He likes. He likes to talk Louisiana. He's country. He's. He's one of a kind. I'll say that.

[Diana Rossini]

I know sometimes it's hard to describe exactly what your team is, especially this point in the season, because there's so many unknowns. You don't. You haven't played anyone in a real game there. But before we kick off here, if you were to explain who the Buffalo Bills are right now, what we can all expect, how would you put it best?

[Josh Allen]

I would say at any given point, we got 11 guys that love and care about each other and play football for each other and try to play football the right way, the way it's supposed to be played.

[Diana Rossini]

That seems like you can't pop a lot of holes in that, even after, like, week 12, right. If you can stay that way and be consistent this year. And I think one of the topics that people love to talk about when they reference the Buffalo Bills is, you know, this is a window for Josh Allen. He. This is some of the best football he can play. How much do you feel this pressure to get this done, knowing that this is some of the best you're going to be in your career?

[Josh Allen]

You know, to be honest, I don't. I don't feel a ton of pressure at all. You know, I've had a lot of talks with a lot of guys, and in most notably, Von Miller, and as a believer in Christ, you know, it's already written, you know, and I just got to continue to trust what's. What's going on in front of me and try to play the best football that I could play. And in this game, sometimes you need a bounce to go your way. Sometimes you. You got to find a way where a guy can. Has to stay healthy, you know, so there's a lot of things that impact the season that impact a single game. And again, I'm just seeing it as it plays out. And again, just trying to control what I can control.

[Diana Rossini]

Are there any quarterbacks you like to watch? Is there anyone you study that you're like, gosh, I want to do more of that. I like how they do this.

[Josh Allen]

Yeah, I mean, Aaron's been on the top for a long time. The way he throws the ball, obviously, Pat. I think Matt Stafford as well, I think the way that he throws the ball is pretty impressive. Say those, those three guys for sure. And again, just trying to find a way to get better. And you can sit there and watch a bunch of film on these guys and try to take away one thing and if it works for you, it works. If it doesn't, you throw it out. You try to find something else that works. But at the same time, you know, I feel like I've been, been doing a good job myself of throwing the football, so I gotta keep fine tuning it, but always trying to find things to make myself better.

[Diana Rossini]

Well, I may need you to do one favor for me before I let you go here and before you get off social media. I know we've talked about this before and you remember a few years ago when I saw you at practice, you told me that it was gonna be really cold out and you were gonna wear sleeves. You weren't gonna wear sleeves. You said, it's gonna be really cold, you don't care. You're tough. And I went on national television for five days straight and I was proudly reporting that Josh Allen was not gonna wear sleeves in, you know, negative 10 degree weather. And then you ran out of the tunnel and you had sleeves on.

[Josh Allen]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

To this day, people tweet me, hey, you'd be a better reporter if you knew how to report on Josh Allen.

[Josh Allen]

So I apologize. I did tell you that I was not going to wear sleeves. So I'll clear it up right here. That was my bad. And you did have the right information. Was a game time decision. I went out to throw pregame and it was freezing, but I think we had a pretty good game that game, if I remember correctly.

[Diana Rossini]

You did. You won. You beat the Patriots and I think you threw for five touchdowns, if, if I recall correctly, something like that. Yeah. So it all turned out, it turned out great for you. But I'm still, I'm still, I'm still dealing with the haters. So hopefully everything you shared with me today is all truthful. If you change your mind. Okay? Let me know if you change your mind.

[Josh Allen]

No, I will. If I change my mind, I'll let you know. You'll be the first one to know.

[Diana Rossini]

How about that real quick before I let you go. Our podcast is called Scoop City and we always ask our guest to just give us the scoop on something we don't know about your team. Give me something. I know you got something weird up your sleeve, no pun intended. About your team. Give me the scoop.

[Josh Allen]

I beat Mack Hollins in chess two times yesterday and he's like a 12, 1300 and I'm kind of at the 600 mark. So it was. That's a pretty big deal. It's a pretty big deal.

[Diana Rossini]

Buffalo Bills chess champ Josh Allen, thank you for joining Speak City.

[Josh Allen]

Thank you. Appreciate you. Dan Foreign.

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[Diana Rossini]

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[Drake May]

When did I get here?

[Diana Rossini]

What do you mean?

[Drake May]

I swear it was just moments ago.

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[Jordan Love]

It's.

[Diana Rossini]

It's the present. And just the convenience of Carvana. Sorry to blow your mind.

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[Diana Rossini]

Sell your car the convenient way to Carvana, pick up. Times may vary and fees may apply. You know, just going back to the year you drafted, the COVID year, right. Which I can't remember that time. I feel like Covid happened. I'm like, where was I? What was I doing? You clearly remember what you were doing, right? And so it's like you have the whole world talking about the situation the packers have themselves in, right? You got Aaron Rodgers, got the mvp, the superstar, future hall of Famer, and the packers organization decides to go after you. What was it like to be the guy that everyone was talking about going, what are they doing?

[Drake May]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

What was that like for you when it's you.

[Drake May]

Yeah, I mean, it was tough. Obviously it was a blessing again to be able to get drafted first round to the Packers. Forever grateful for that. But, you know, obviously, right when I got that call, I knew who was there. I knew I wasn't going to come in and be starting right away. It was going to be one of those situations. Come in, learn from him, and try and soak with as much knowledge as I can and just work on my game and, you know, behind him and trying to prove myself. But yeah, I mean, there's a lot of, A lot of talk out there, a lot of different things that were said. And, you know, I kind of just try to block all that stuff out and just focus on myself and enjoy this opportunity that I have and be able to learn from one of the best to do it.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, I watch him every day in the same regard. Right. So he, he gets criticized so much, especially now, everyone is picking at him and trying to figure him out. Yet whenever I talk to players, teammates of him, of his, it's just nothing but how great he is. What makes Aaron Rodgers such a good teammate?

[Drake May]

Yeah, I mean, I think he's awesome. I mean, I think, you know, he. First of all, he's a hard. He's a very hard worker. He demands a lot out of his teammates, but at the same time, he likes to have fun. You know, we have a lot of great times, facility. He's always joking, having fun with the guys. And I mean, he's just one of the guys. So I think a lot of players, you know, you come into the league, you obviously know who Aaron Rodgers is. You've watched him. So you already Have a lot of respect for him and then you get to meet him as a person. I think it just builds. But yeah, I mean, I think, you know, he definitely, you know, might be misunderstood in the media. People say a lot of different things, but a lot of people don't know all at the same time.

[Diana Rossini]

Did he text you after you got that deal?

[Drake May]

He did, yeah.

[Jordan Love]

Did you read it?

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[Diana Rossini]

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[Unnamed Host]

Speaking of Aaron Rogers, I mean, what was that like to you personally though? Like, take us inside your mindset.

[Jordan Love]

Sake.

[Unnamed Host]

Knowing that Aaron Rodgers was there and you had to sit, did you think you were ready to start? Did you enjoy sitting and learning? What was your mind like?

[Drake May]

Yeah, definitely. You know, when I went into the draft, getting ready for the NFL, all that, I was like, oh, yeah, I'm ready, I'm confident. I get to Green Bay and you know, those first couple of days, you just get to see Aaron work, see the things he's doing at practice. You're like, all right, well, I'm not, I'm not even close to there. Like, I'm definitely not there. So it was definitely like an eye opening experience for me just to see him work, see, see the confidence he has and the balls he throws and just the control he has of the offense. So just to be able to pick up those pieces. But it definitely was eye open experience and, and showed me how much more I got to keep working.

[Unnamed Host]

So specifically with your footwork because you both have that hop where you're off the ground and Farve had it, Rogers had it. You had what is being taught in that room. You guys look like an identical clone.

[Drake May]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Host]

Because your throwing motion was not like that when you came out.

[Drake May]

I would say that's just a lot of me sitting there watching Aaron, you know, watching him and his footwork and the way he's able to, you know, be off platform, be facing this way and complete passes going the other way. And just watching him, just watching him and kind of just seeing it. And now I get into the field and I'm just my muscle memories are starting to do it.

[Josh Allen]

It's wild.

[Drake May]

Yeah, it's interesting.

[Unnamed Host]

I mean, do you think you look like the packers quarterbacks in the past? Because you do.

[Drake May]

I've seen some pictures of it. I definitely, like, it's one of those things that, you know, my game changed once I got here and saw him doing it. And I started adding that, you know, someone thing you don't try and do all the time, but there's certain situations in the pocket where you just can't get your feet to the receiver and.

[Jordan Love]

You got to do that.

[Diana Rossini]

Do you think if I pulled up tape right now of you, it was just your rookie year of practice and showed it to you now? I mean, who's that guy compared to who this guy is now? Yeah. Would you like derive looking at that?

[Drake May]

Yeah, I would. I would for sure. My. My mind was spinning my rookie year just trying to learn the offense and take control of that and I don't even remember seeing the defense my rookie year. I was. My mind is spinning dark.

[Unnamed Host]

Let me throw it to one guy.

[Jordan Love]

Yeah.

[Drake May]

I. I need to watch that film and see.

[Diana Rossini]

Just appreciate.

[Drake May]

Yeah. How far I came for sure.

[Diana Rossini]

So now the Jordan love of present compared to who that guy is now. Who are you now?

[Drake May]

You know, I'm the same person, but, you know, definitely someone who's worked and grown a lot as a player, understand the system now, understand where I need to go, got my footwork better and just, you know, took a lot of strides and building every day and the little, small details. So, I mean, I'm the same person but obviously a little bit better.

[Unnamed Host]

How has this year changed compared to last year? Take us inside the locker room. Specifically last year. No one expected anything of you guys except that team in the locker room. I know how it is. I've been in that locker room. There wasn't a lot of media fanfare, hype, and you guys went on to surprise a ton of people. Had an amazing year, started 3 and 3, and you guys were rolling. How does it change inside the locker room this year? Know that you guys are sort of the hunted and you're not going to surprise anyone.

[Drake May]

No, I think like you said, you know, last year there was a lot of question marks with everybody on our team. We had a lot of young players and guys trying to prove themselves, and now guys kind of made a name for themselves. Teams know we're about. So, you know, our mindset is definitely elevated, I think as a team in the locker room. Obviously that goal is NFC north championship and Super Bowl. So we set the goals high and trying to show up every day and just be able to go out there and compete to that standard.

[Diana Rossini]

How happy are you, though, that you at least got a playoff in your pocket? Right. Because yeah, though you play the Cowboys, you've never even played there. You never even played at the Cowboys Stadium. And you go there and. And I can only imagine the nerves is as poised as you can be, you know, when you're playing your first playoff game. Really A team that no one expected to be playing, and then you go out there and you win. Obviously, the result against the 49ers eventually doesn't turn out to be the way you can. But now that you have a little bit of that, how much you think that's going to help you guys?

[Drake May]

It'll help us a ton. I mean, I think just for me personally, having that experience now, being in a playoff game, really two playoff games, you know, just playing that postseason football, it's a little bit different. And obviously, the stakes are what the stakes are. You know, if you lose, you go home. So just having a little bit of more experience under our belt. But, you know, we're excited, obviously, to try and help it, hopefully make it there again.

[Unnamed Host]

Take us quickly before we let you go. Take us quickly. Inside the receiver room floor made headlines. It makes them want to vomit. All this talk about the packers don't have a number one receiver. Break down those guys for me, because me specifically, on an outsider, watching them progress through the year last year, I'm sure they're ready to roll this year.

[Drake May]

Oh, very, very much so. I mean, I think starting it off, we got Christian a Rome move. You know, they've been there doing it for a while, since a rod was here, and, you know, they've been elevating every year. Rome has been playing out of his mind so far in training camp. Christian's been doing a great job as well, but those are two kind of different guys. Christian's the speed guy. Yep. Rome's kind of the route runner with the hands, but. And then we got Wicks and Jay Reed, the young guys who definitely made a name for themselves last year.

[Unnamed Host]

All the jet suite stuff with Reed.

[Drake May]

I mean, Reed's got the crazy speed, the quickness. He's our slot guy. And then Wicks, you can put him anywhere. I mean, his routes are getting nastier every time I see him, but, you know, the sky's the limit. We got a great group, and like you said, the number one. We're not. We're not getting into that, but I.

[Diana Rossini]

Love that you avoid it. I think it's smart because it keeps everyone.

[Unnamed Host]

You got five number ones.

[Diana Rossini]

I know what you're doing.

[Unnamed Host]

The way you spread the ball around, you have five number ones.

[Diana Rossini]

Okay, but that said. So our podcast is called Scoop City, and every time someone comes on a show, we like to ask, what's the scoop on your team? So what's something we don't know about the Green Bay packers that you guys all maybe know? Even when you're at dinner, Shanahans or doing whatever it is that you're doing that like. Yeah, this is what we know about us. Maybe everyone else doesn't know this about us.

[Drake May]

Inside Scoop.

[Diana Rossini]

Scoop.

[Drake May]

Scoop City.

[Diana Rossini]

Scoop City. Your favorite podcast. I heard.

[Unnamed Host]

Like a little vibe.

[Drake May]

What do I got five.

[Unnamed Host]

Inside the locker room.

[Drake May]

We. I mean, we got a great locker room. We got great guys in there. But let's see.

[Diana Rossini]

I mean, come on, he's smart.

[Drake May]

He's training camp mode right now. We. We do have a ping pong table in the locker room.

[Diana Rossini]

Okay.

[Drake May]

We added this, so there's been a lot of competition in the locker room with people.

[Unnamed Host]

How are you?

[Drake May]

I'm not great. Okay, look, I thought I was good. I got a pink ball table home. Yeah. And Ronica play. And I thought it was good. And then I get in the locker room. I'll be getting smoke. So.

[Unnamed Host]

Who doesn't want the smoke?

[Drake May]

Well, Melon's pretty. He's pretty good. Specialists are pretty good.

[Unnamed Host]

Honest.

[Drake May]

Michael Pratt.

[Unnamed Host]

Yeah, of course.

[Diana Rossini]

The special.

[Unnamed Host]

Yeah, specialies are good.

[Drake May]

I don't know. We got some. We got some really good ping pong players left.

[Unnamed Host]

That's amazing.

[Drake May]

We got some really good ping pong.

[Diana Rossini]

What skill do you think ping pong is? What is that?

[Unnamed Host]

Just coordination.

[Drake May]

Not hand coordination.

[Diana Rossini]

We think a receiver could do it.

[Drake May]

I thought I was good until. Until I got out.

[Diana Rossini]

All right, Jordan, thanks so much for hanging out. Good luck, stay healthy, and we look forward to seeing you again during the season.

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Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that this podcast is his favorite podcast too. Ah, really? Thanks. Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Term supply see capital1.com bank capital1 NA member FDIC.

[Diana Rossini]

Better help online therapy bought this 30 second ad to remind you right now, wherever you are, to unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders, take a deep breath in and out. Feels better, right? That's 15 seconds of self care. Imagine what you could do with more. Visit betterhelp.com randompodcast for 10% off your first month of therapy. No pressure, just help. But for now, just relax. Patriots starting quarterback Drake May after having a spectacular rookie season. Drake, thanks so much for hanging out with us here in Scoo City. Lots of changes there in New England for you. I know that you don't have any background or relationship obviously with Josh McDaniels or with even Mike Vrabel, your new head coach, but when you made that phone call to your new head coach and you had that quick conversation, what was the first question you asked him? Oh, what were you wondering?

[Jordan Love]

First question I asked him, I said, I said, are you, are you already up there in New England? He said, yeah. So he got in and, and called me from his office. So I asked him if he was already up there and obviously he knows about it. He played there and it was about Foxborough and then we went in the area. So excited. I think fired up. I think we're both fired up, especially to me on the phone. We can't wait to get started and get things rolling. So it was back before we hired, you know, McDaniels, Coach McDaniels and the staff. So he was saying he's gonna fill out the staff and I'm gonna get up there and meet everybody and looking forward to it.

[Diana Rossini]

You can only collect so much information right at this point and I'm sure you're hearing so many stories and you're hearing some. So many former Patriots like Julian Edelman and Matt, so many guys are just talking, talking about who Mike Vrabel is. What's one thing you're looking forward to learning more about him? Knowing that there's so many people around the league who said such great things about him.

[Jordan Love]

That's a great question. I think just, just his coaching style, how he kind of reaches out to different player groups and different position groups and just kind of how it kind of, you know, reaches out to him and. Or plays, you know, kind of his role in the locker room. I think he's a player and knows what it's like to be in the locker room and he's been a successful head coach for the Titans, so I think it's kind of interesting to see how he kind of goes about things and how he handles the quarterback room. So different kind of areas of. Of kind of head coach that how you kind of fit in or kind of your role if you're like the hey, get on you and you know, quarterbacks or hey, you know, the linebackers are my squad or kind of what's his favorite position group. I think it's kind of cool to see how things play out.

[Diana Rossini]

All right. Giving one thing looking back, I know I didn't get a chance to turn, talk to you at the draft, but if I was talking to you then, compared to who you are now, what's like the one thing after just playing one season in the NFL that you're like, yeah, I had no idea that this was part of it.

[Jordan Love]

Ooh, no idea. God, you're asking some good questions.

[Drake May]

No idea.

[Jordan Love]

This is part of it. I think just the amount of flow of kind of guys throughout, you know, the locker room, whether it's training camp and all the rookies and 30 other rookies I was with throughout, you know, minicamp and, you know, training camp that kind of sadly get cut and how many guys are in throughout, you know, the week. And, you know, my, my center, Brown, we signed him on Wednesday and he started for us that Sunday and he balled out. So just kind of how the NFL works and how much of a, you know, things can turn and guys can be in and out and really how much it is, you know, kind of a business side to it.

[Diana Rossini]

You're forever going to be in, associated with the guys in this draft class that you came up with. Right. And, and what an incredible season Jaden had and Caleb's coming along and Bo Nix, obviously, and, and we saw a little bit of Pennix just, just watching these guys out there going through what you're experiencing. Is there anyone that you're seeing thinking, man, they're. This is just really working for them, they're doing this the right way. Is there any of the. Of these young rookies that you, that you've observed that you're, you're just really impressed by?

[Jordan Love]

Yeah, yeah, I'm really impressed by, I think really all of them. I think what you'll start with Caleb, obviously, you know, what he's done with so much pressure, and obviously he didn't have the season that, you know, he wanted to have. But I think just to come in week in and week out and. And not complain and, you know, you know, getting hit and getting up and kind of leading those guys, then we played them and, you know, talking a little bit before the game. So he was great. What Jaden did speaks for itself. I mean, going to the NFC championship and playing as good as he did throughout the season, his first year was special. And then, you know, Bell, Knicks, you know, I did draft prep with Bell, so I got to know Bell really well. And first year and making the playoffs was my goal. So, you know, him accomplishing that. And they had to go to Buffalo. Tough place to play. And then Mike Penicu got in at the end of the season and did his thing and played well. And even Spencer Rattler, who's another rookie who went to South Carolina. Carolina. But I think to see different guys throughout, rookies kind of do their own thing and all have success in different ways is pretty cool. And we all really cheer for each other. I think we all cheer for each other until we're playing one another. I'm sure we're competitive, so at least I know I was.

[Diana Rossini]

So the offseason is always so valuable because everything slows down a bit for you, and you can kind of lock back in. Into those things that you want to get better at and go back to season. Some of the. Just some of the flaws from the season, is it. Is there one part of your game that. That you're really locked in over the next few months to just make sure, come training camp, it's not a problem for you for next season?

[Jordan Love]

Yeah, I think it's. It's. It's tough to kind of kind of home one thing in that I can say, hey, I'm. I've kind of accomplished that throughout that offseason. Really, when it's kind of stuff in the games, you kind of really see the results go for. For me, I think it's situational football, being better down in the red zone, you know, making better decisions, taking care of the football. I think those are some things that I'm working on myself of, you know, watching my sacks, you know, cut up, watching my interception cut up, and see different ways for me to improve. I think it's tough for me to kind of say, hey, I'm better at that in the offseason. Knowing that I haven't played yet, so. But kind of non tangible things on the field, I think just leadership wise, taking the next step of, you know, being, being the guy and getting a chance to kind of make, make more noise in the locker room. And it was tough to kind of speak up as a rookie so just kind of taking that next step in that and then from there just, I think, you know, football wise, quarterback wise, you always got to, you know, stay up to date on, on footwork and little things like that.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, that's always got to be a hard spot to be in where you're the quarterback. So you're naturally the leader of the team. But you're, you're 22 years old, you're the youngest guy out there and all this is, is new. So in terms of just that confidence now stepping into this, do you, do you feel that you're in a better position and what is that style of leadership? Do you think that you lean towards like. How would I describe Drake May as a leader?

[Jordan Love]

For sure, I think it's something that I got better as the year went on. But you know, especially coming in mid season, it's tough to kind of go in there. You don't want to be the guy who's, you know, first start and you're kind of trying to take command and yelling at the group. But I think at sometimes, you know, towards the end of the season the guys will would have liked to see that from me. So kind of my style is just get to know the guys and kind of kind of how can I reach kind of each position group different. How can I hey, I may be able to get on the tight ends, you know, more. We got a veteran group. I can kind of, you know, get in, you know, kind of get into their gear. And hey, I may have to love up the lineman a little more. Obviously office the linemen, they like to be, you know, kind of, you know, loved on and the work they do, you know, speaks for itself. Golly, they got a tough job. So hey, I may be able to tell the receivers, hey, get your stuff together man. This isn't, you know, how it was gu. And they just kind of getting to know and kind of. I think the biggest thing for me is get to know them personally first before I kind of start taking, you know, shots or jabs at their, their work life. So I think that that's a big thing for me.

[Diana Rossini]

I think that's fair. Speaking of work life, it's my job to find out information, but I Have a feeling. I don't know. I want to ask you. Did you know Belichick was getting the job at UNC before all of us? Like, did you actually somebody, like, pass that along, or did you find out the win when. When we did?

[Jordan Love]

Yeah, I had an idea.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, See, I knew it. I knew it. See, I have to do a better job of thinking outside the box. I. I should have found a way to reach out to you and be like, hey, what are you hearing out there? All right, Just to wrap this up before. Before you got to get out of here. I'm sure you've played this game many of times in your life, but I can't resist it. I want to do may or may not with you. Okay. Little fun.

[Jordan Love]

May or may not.

[Diana Rossini]

Something you want to do. Something you don't want to do. Right.

[Jordan Love]

Okay.

[Diana Rossini]

Do you get the game? Goes with your name.

[Jordan Love]

Real got it. Got it. That way over my head at first. I got it.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. Yep, yep. Scoop city. We're real bright over here. All right. You may or may not ask your head coach what it was like to play with Tom Brady.

[Jordan Love]

May for sure.

[Diana Rossini]

Did you say may? Oh, I didn't hear you say may. Okay. May. You may or may not go number one overall if you were drafted in this year's draft.

[Jordan Love]

May not. I'm a. I'm a. I'm a. Cheer for those other guys. Probably may not.

[Diana Rossini]

All right. You may or may not pick a brother to be your best man. So you got Luke, Bowen, Cole. Uh. Oh.

[Jordan Love]

May not. May not. The best men. May not.

[Diana Rossini]

You may or may not be the best athlete in your family, including those guys.

[Jordan Love]

I may. I may be that. I may.

[Diana Rossini]

You may or may not be the best trash talker on the New England Patriots.

[Jordan Love]

Oh, may not. For sure. I'm not. I'm not the best trash. We got some good trash talkers now. I may not.

[Diana Rossini]

You may or may not be part of wedding planning.

[Jordan Love]

I may. I think I got to be a part of it a little bit. I may.

[Diana Rossini]

You may or may not have been a nervous wreck before you got down on one knee.

[Jordan Love]

I may. I may have been. For sure. Yeah, it was definitely nerve wracking.

[Diana Rossini]

All right, Drake, you are going to be participating in the PNG battle of the paddles. Can you tell me about your paddle game? I mean, are you good? Of course you're good. You're good at all sports, but do you actually practice?

[Jordan Love]

I appreciate that. I appreciate that first. No, but. No, but ping pong is a big thing in Kind of the locker room in New England. You know, me and Hunter Henry and some other guys go at it, you know, a good bit. I think it's a big thing around the league for ping pong tables to be in locker room. So I'm looking forward to getting down there in the png battle the paddles down there in New Orleans. Actually, tomorrow you can tune in, tune in at 7 o' clock. It's on Complex's YouTube channel. So tune in and check it out. PNG's program with Lowe's, they're, they got deals on for fans on, on their website, lowe's.com you can check out and deals off PG pox. They got the whole whole nine yards down there. So come check out and check it out. If you're already not down there in New Orleans, check it out on conference YouTube channel. But I'm looking forward to it. I got a good game. I kind of got some finesse, got some power. But I think my brothers would be disappointed if I don't come out with the title.

[Diana Rossini]

Well, I feel like your youthfulness will have the advantage over some of the old guys I heard that are going to be participating in this thing. So my money's on you. My money's on you for next season. As well as taking another really big jump as it just seems that the New England Patriots found the right guy. They found the right head coach. And I think everyone here is looking forward to seeing what you guys are going to be able to do together. So, Drake, thanks so much for hanging out with us here on Scoop City.

[Jordan Love]

Yes, ma' am. Thanks for having me on. Go fast.

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