Derek Meyer got the tough coaching he wanted and thrived.
Meyer, 23, is one win away from becoming the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl. He’s grateful to New England coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
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In Jerrod Mayo’s rookie season, the Patriots improved from 4-13 to 14-3. They won their 12th AFC Championship and will seek a record seventh Super Bowl title on February 8 against the Seattle Seahawks.
“Coach McDaniels and Coach Vrabel came in and they were great,” Meyer told The Associated Press. “Both coaches have had a huge impact not only on our entire team, but on my individual game and my personal life outside of football. I think one of the biggest things about them is they coach me hard, but they care about me as a person and they want the best for me. And they work hard every day to coach me. And. And, it’s not always about football, it’s about life and leadership and the things that have played a big role in me at the quarterback position. I think starting with Ashton Grant in the quarterback room, like the quarterback in the room, we have a great group and I’m blessed with great players around me.”
The supporting cast includes wide receiver Stefon Diggs, running backs Tre’Vion Henderson and Lamond Stevenson and tight end Hunter Henry.
Meyer, the third overall pick in the 2024 draft behind Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, started 12 games as a rookie and compiled a 3-9 record. He threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on a team that lacked talent and direction.
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The additions of Vrabel, McDaniels and Grant quickly unlocked his potential. Meyer threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns this season, received only eight draft picks, and was a finalist for the Associated Press NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards. He led the league in completion percentage (72.0 percent) and passer rating (113.5) and also rushed for 450 yards and four touchdowns, earning second-team AP All-Pro honors.
“With the experience I had last year, I was fortunate to be able to get some starts my rookie year, play meaningful football, understand what the league is like, what it’s about, what the defense is like, how to run the offense, run the game,” Meyer said.
“Playing quarterback at this level of the league is difficult. It takes a lot of hard work. I think knowing our job playing quarterback is one of the toughest jobs in sports, but also one of the most rewarding. Just feeling it out and converting it and learning a new offense in my second year.”
Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger won Super Bowl titles in their second seasons in the NFL. Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, Colin Kaepernick and Dan Marino got there and got lost.
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Marino is the youngest starter in the game. Roethlisberger is the youngest winner.
Meyer’s only Super Bowl appearance was also at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. A decade ago, he was a fan in the crowd, cheering on Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
The Denver Nuggets won 24-10. Meyer fittingly became the first quarterback to lead the Patriots to a road playoff victory over the Broncos.
“It’s a full circle,” he said. “When I was in seventh grade, my dad said if the Panthers make it, we’re leaving. They lost to the Broncos and it was so heartbreaking. But no, it was a great experience for a kid my age who loves football and loves quarterbacks. That was Payton’s last game. What a Hall of Fame career he had. It’s so cool to be back here after 10 years and I think it’s a special moment for the whole team.”
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Meyer hasn’t been at his best in the playoffs. He completed 55.8 percent of his passes for 533 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions, lost three fumbles and had 15 sacks in three games. He used his legs effectively, totaling 141 yards and the team’s only touchdown in Sunday’s 10-7 win over Denver.
“That’s the great thing about Drake, his ability to extend games and get a lot of help if not,” Vrabel said. “He’s been doing that most of the year. Again, we have to correct a lot of things and we have to play our best football in two weeks if we want to end up being a champion.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl