A lot has changed in New England over the past year, and that’s certainly reflected in the Patriots’ new on-field leadership.
The Patriots announced their captains for the 2025 season Monday, a group of six players that was voted on by their teammates. Here’s the list:
- Quarterback Drake Maye
- Tight end Hunter Henry
- Linebacker Robert Spillane
- Edge defender Harold Landry III
- Cornerback Marcus Jones
- Safety/special teamer Brenden Schooler
It’s an interesting list, both for who was chosen and who wasn’t. Here are a few immediate takeaways:
Drake Maye among four first-time captains
Maye, Jones, Landry and Schooler are all assuming the captain role for the first time in their NFL careers. Maye’s captaincy comes as no surprise, as the 23-year-old quarterback has been vocal about trying to improve as a leader in his second season.
“I think it’s a great honor,” Maye said during the preseason about the possibility of being named a captain. “I think it’s something that you don’t take lightly around here, especially with those Patriot teams in the past, with the captains they had. It’s an aspiration to be a captain, but there’s a lot of guys on this team that deserve that, and they’ve played a long time in this league.”
Jones will wear the “C” for the first time in his fourth NFL season, while Landry gets his first crack at captain after seven seasons in Tennessee. Schooler is the first core special teamer to assume captain duties since Matthew Slater retired in 2023.
Two Vrabel imports earn captain duties
Landry and Spillane both signed with the Patriots in free agency in March, and both played under head coach Mike Vrabel as members of the Titans. Now, they’re both captains with their new team.
As a reminder, captains are voted on by the players, not the coaching staff, so this isn’t a case of Vrabel installing “his guys” as team leaders. But if Vrabel wanted to import new leadership in free agency, it certainly appears he accomplished that goal.
Stefon Diggs, Morgan Moses miss the cut
While Landry and Spillane stepped right into captain roles, two other high-profile free-agent signings — wide receiver Stefon Diggs and offensive tackle Morgan Moses — won’t wear the “C” this season.
Diggs was a captain in both of his previous stops (Buffalo and Houston), so it’s noteworthy that he won’t have the same responsibility in New England. Moses also has been a vocal leader on the offensive line and a mentor to rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson.
The Patriots opted for just two offensive captains, however, with Maye and three-time captain Hunter Henry taking the reins.
The Patriots and their new group of captains have plenty to prove in 2025 after back-to-back 4-13 seasons. Their new campaign begins Sunday with a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders at 1 p.m. ET.
