Drake Maye caught the attention of those around the NFL throughout his rookie season with the New England Patriots.
And he can now add a Hall of Fame quarterback to that list.
Peyton Manning, who was this year’s AFC coach for the Pro Bowl Games, raved about Maye — who was named to his first Pro Bowl in place of Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen.
“Drake, he’s very accountable. When things go well, you see him giving credit to his receivers and linemen. When things don’t go well, you see him starting with himself,” Manning told reporters. “He threw potentially the game-winning touchdown and didn’t get the two-point conversion. You heard him — it’s all he talked about, was the one that he didn’t get. So I like that. I like guys that are honest and aren’t trying to hide from it. And he owns it.”
Maye was often praised for saying the right things after each loss and was lauded for how he handled himself despite a rough 4-13 campaign.
“You can tell he’s a natural leader. And then when you watch him throw … his arm just jumps out at you, and then his athletic ability,” Manning said. “And the fact that he got to play so much as a rookie. I think all those things are just gonna serve him well.”
The UNC product was a bright spot during an ugly 2024 season that ended with Jerod Mayo getting fired 90 minutes after the Patriots’ Week 18 win over the Bills.
Now with Mike Vrabel in the fold as coach and Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator, Maye looks to take a big step in Year 2 as the Patriots enter a new era in Foxborough.
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