The Patriots play in London for the third time in history, and it’s their chance to give United Kingdom fans a reason to support them.
New England first played in England in 2009, and its last appearance in the country was in 2012. The Patriots are 2-0 in the United Kingdom and largely are successful in international play, except for its matchup in Germany last season.
U.K. fans will get a new-look Patriots team than they’re used to, and it’s why head coach Jerod Mayo preached patience for those wanting to jump on the bandwagon.
“Yeah, one thing I would say is that we’re hitting the reset button and looking forward to building something special,” Mayo told reporters Friday, per a team-provided transcript. “Building the next dynasty, and it starts with, obviously, through the draft and developing, but also through free agency. We look to get back on top here pretty soon.”
A very fine elevator pitch for U.K. fans to support the Patriots. Drake Maye decided to go a different route.
“First off, I think it comes from the team name, New England,” Maye told reporters, per a team-provided transcript. “I think it’s easy for U.K. fans to be attracted to that. Our colors are pretty sweet; they represent a lot of different things. From there, just kind of the excitement for the team. I think we’re on the come up, and we’ve got a lot of things to look forward to, a lot of bright futures ahead. Shout out to all the fans that are already Patriot fans over here and look forward to having some more.”
The cheesy comments endeared Maye even more to Patriots fans. The rookie quarterback might get Rhamondre Stevenson back this Sunday, so he’ll get a chance to impress international fans with his play.
