This September, a different six will be wearing the “C” for the New England Patriots.
Quarterback Drake Maye, tight end Hunter Henry, linebackers Harold Landry III and Robert Spillane, cornerback Marcus Jones and core special-teamer Brenden Schooler have been voted captains for the 2025 season, the team announced Monday.
“I think we all know that every year’s a new year in this league, and that’s kind of how it goes,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said during
his Monday press conference at Gillette Stadium. “The leadership has to grow. Whether it’s a captain — we talked about not having any restrictions on leadership — and hopefully at whatever level we have guys that can lead. We’ll have captains and then hopefully we’ll have a lot more leaders, as well.”
Maye, 23, finds himself 13 appearances and 12 starts into his run under center in Foxborough. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. Along the way arrived 421 yards and an additional pair of scores on the ground for the North Carolina product and rookie Pro Bowl alternate.
Henry, 30, had been elevated to a Patriots captain last October and previously held that title in 2023. The veteran tight end now gets the call out of the gate again. Since signing as a free agent from the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021, he has appeared in 64 games while making 50 starts. His tenure includes 199 catches for 2,205 yards and 19 touchdowns. The past John Mackey Award winner entered the league in the second round of the 2016 draft out of Arkansas.
Landry, 29, reunited with a familiar coaching staff and in March after being released by the Tennessee Titans. The outside linebacker out of Boston College appeared in 98 games, including 79 starts, in the AFC South dating back his entrance in the second round of the 2018 draft. A past Pro Bowler, Landry’s career off the edges has brought 397 tackles, 50.5 sacks as well as three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
Spillane, 29, signed in March after serving as a captain for the Las Vegas Raiders. He started every game over the past two campaigns there, going from 148 to 158 tackles and from 1,101 to 1,095 defensive snaps. The inside linebacker out of Western Michigan has appeared in 86 games since entering the NFL as an undrafted tryout with the Titans in 2018. Spillane, who has also been a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, stands with 497 tackles, 8.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, six interceptions and one touchdown return in his career.
Jones, 26, marks the last selection left from the 2022 Patriots draft class. Since going in the third round at No. 85 overall, the former Paul Hornung Award winner by way of Troy and Houston has appeared in 31 games with 14 starts. Jones earned first-team All-Pro honors while leading the NFL in punt return yards as a rookie. The cornerback has had a hand in 102 tackles, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three interceptions and a touchdown on defense. He’s also accounted for visits to the end zone on offense and special teams.
Schooler, 28, earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors on special teams last season and handled 86.5 percent of the snaps played by year’s end. He led the third phase in tackles for the third consecutive year and notched a pair of sacks on defense. Signed as an undrafted rookie in 2022 after stops at Oregon, Arizona and Texas, Schooler sits 50 games into his Patriots career. Extended last fall, the core defensive back has seen 1,115 snaps in the kicking game on the way to 36 tackles, four fumble recoveries, one blocked field goal and one blocked punt.
In 2024, under previous head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots voted quarterback Jacoby Brissett, center David Andrews, defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr., linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, safety Jabrill Peppers and long snapper Joe Cardona as initial team captains. None of those six remain on the roster one September later. The last departure landed on the transaction wire heading into Labor Day weekend.
The Raiders will visit Foxborough on Sunday. The season opener kicks off at 1 p.m. ET.
