FOXBORO — Moments after Kayshon Boutte caught his latest deep touchdown pass from Drake Maye, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels walked as much as the younger vast receiver and praised him for his endurance.
What McDaniels, who was mic’d up for final Sunday’s win over the Browns, meant within the clip shared by the Patriots was that he appreciated Boutte’s selflessness.
“I used to be actually referring to how affected person he’s by way of, there’s a whole lot of performs within the sport the place the ball doesn’t come to a talent participant, and there’s just one ball and 5 guys on the market in each play,” McDaniels mentioned. “And so typically there’s 20, 30, performs that will go by and primarily based on various different components, circumstances, coverages, cross rush, no matter, you understand, the ball doesn’t essentially go your means.
“I used to be chatting with him, however I may say that about our total group. They actually have been extremely unselfish.”
That’s been a big change from final season, when the group lacked veteran management and skilled teaching.
Boutte and DeMario Douglas are the one carryovers from final 12 months’s group. The staff changed Tyler Hughes with Todd Downing at vast receivers coach, signed Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins and Efton Chism and chosen Kyle Williams within the third spherical of the 2025 NFL Draft, lower Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne, Ok.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton and traded Ja’Lynn Polk.
Douglas was requested if the group is extra selfless this 12 months.
“Simply watch the movie and, man, all people going to dam for one another and going to make these further performs for one another,” Douglas mentioned. “I really feel like, yeah, for positive. Truly, yeah.”
Douglas mentioned the Patriots’ teaching employees has constructed extra camaraderie within the locker room, inspiring them to compete for each other on the sphere.
Boutte understands that inside the Patriots’ offense, the ball can go to any vast receiver on any play. That urges gamers to provide full effort on each play.
“I feel all people performs an element in it,” Boutte mentioned. “However I feel deep, deep down inside, you management that. So, I imply, you possibly can both be egocentric or not. However I feel all people helps one another too. So it’s no selfishness.”
Diggs got here to New England with the popularity of a large receiver who calls for targets, however he’s been the consummate professional eight weeks into his Patriots profession, relaying messaging from coaches and serving to to guide his youthful teammates.
He scored his first landing of the season in final Sunday’s win over the Browns, and your entire offense came to visit to rejoice with him.
“Everyone’s pulling for one another, all people’s excited for one another,” Diggs mentioned. “I used to be simply one of many final guys to the touch it, so all people wished me to get in there.”
Downing deserves a fair proportion of credit score for managing some larger personalities within the Patriots’ vast receiver room.
The longtime Vrabel assistant is in his twentieth 12 months teaching on the NFL stage, but it surely’s his first 12 months as a large receiver coach, having beforehand labored with quarterbacks, tight ends and as a coordinator.
“It’s superior to see these guys rejoice one another’s successes, and I feel that there’s an power that’s contagious to all people round them” Downing mentioned Thursday. “After they see guys which are cheering on their teammates and never frightened about whether or not the ball is coming to the ball is coming to them, they’re simply frightened about profitable and producing. And it’s been fairly enjoyable to look at and humbling to expertise, to be trustworthy.”
Profitable additionally helps. The Patriots try to increase their profitable streak to 6 video games on Sunday towards the Falcons.
