Drake Maye is proving that he can overcome adversity, and that's an even bigger reason to believe in him as the New England Patriots' quarterback of the future.
Sure, Maye has his flaws. He can put the ball in harm's way way too often and tries to play hero ball (though his decision-making has greatly improved recently), which can lead to a ton of boneheaded turnovers. But his talent is undeniable.
We saw it for most of last season, when he finished second in MVP voting (in just his first full year, by the way). He is an elite deep-ball thrower. He can use his legs to his advantage and extend plays. He makes his teammates better. And he has improved under pressure. (And we also know he can win; say what you will about it, but he led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his second season.)
But being talented is only half the game. You also need to be able to pick yourself back up when you get knocked down (figuratively and literally; Maye was sacked 21 times in the playoffs last year, which is an NFL record), because then you'll just stay in your own head, your confidence will be shot, and you'll never fulfill your potential.
Maye has been knocked down numerous times already. But as we're seeing right now, he is more than capable of picking himself back up.
Drake Maye's resilience makes him a real asset to the Patriots
To quote the great Kelly Clarkson, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." And if that's true, then Maye is basically the NFL equivalent of Mark Henry (at least from 20 years ago).
The UNC alum had an iffy rookie season (even if it wasn't entirely his fault; his head coach was Jerod Mayo), turning the ball over 16 times in parts of 13 games and winning just three of his starts (including the Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets that Jacoby Brissett finished after Maye got a concussion). He had an awful playoff run (58.3% completion, 207 passing yards per game, six total touchdowns, four total interceptions, and four total fumbles lost in four games). He was mocked because of "the schedule," with many undermining his MVP-caliber season. And he had an incredibly slow start to this season (some of us were getting worried).
But Maye has turned things around in a big way in recent games, and while I'm sure he'll go through some low points again (he's still just 24 years old; he's going to go through more ups and downs), this is a promising sight to see.
Patriots fans should be excited about Drake Maye's long-term outlook
Not only has Maye returned to form (even when many expected him not to), but he almost looks better than he did at his peak last season. His decision-making has been quick and efficient, he looks way more comfortable in the pocket, and he is keeping his composure and not forcing anything better than he did last year.
He is still very young, and his best is yet to come. And considering that he was already a legitimate MVP candidate last season, that should terrify the rest of the league.
For the North Carolina native to be able to go through everything he has gone through (gauntlet of elite defenses in the playoffs, getting embarrassed in the Super Bowl, and having many people doubt his status as the Patriots' franchise quarterback) and come back even stronger is a testament to his mindset and resilience.
I also believe there is something to needing to get hit in the face and deal with adversity to take it up another level (see: the Boston Celtics lost the finals in 2022 before winning it all in 2024, and the Boston Red Sox suffering a crushing Game 7 loss in the 2003 ALCS against the New York Yankees before going through them again and winning it all the next year), and Maye and this Patriots team have already dealt with the worst of it.
It probably won't be smooth sailing for Maye every week from here on out. It's never that easy. But Patriots fans should feel confident that he's the guy, and his ability to overcome adversity is one of the biggest reasons why.
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