Maye’s Pro-Bowl Appearance a Nice Bonus After Tough Year
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For a season that was definitely one of the tougher ones we’ve seen in recent memory, first-year quarterback Drake Maye was at least one of the few bright spots that the New England Patriots took away from a tumultuous 2024 campaign.
The former North Carolina QB, who went third overall last April, probably didn’t expect his rookie season to be easy, given who they had around him and the fact they were 4-13 the previous season. However, had also likely had no idea he’d see his entire coaching staff around him gone after one season.
Seeing his head coach fired barely an hour after his final game was probably jarring. Not to mention having to also say goodbye to the guy who mentored him in Alex Van Pelt not long after, was likely also tough.
That’s why Monday’s news that he’s been selected as a Pro Bowl alternate was probably at least something he appreciated.
Granted, the Pro Bowl isn’t quite what it used to be, given that it’s more of a popularity contest than anything else. But receiving the well-deserved recognition is likely something Maye isn’t taking lightly.
Maye finished with a solid rookie campaign. Overall, he went out and completed 225-of-338 (66.6%) for 2,276 yards, along with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 421 yards on 54 carries, including two touchdowns.
But the biggest thing that stood out was his pocket presence and his command on the field. With Maye, what we saw was a surprising amount of poise and calmness, with any scrambling usually done with purpose and a plan. There was never any panic.
That’s a significant contrast to the previous season with Mac Jones, who didn’t possess the same vision or poise under pressure. Jones also didn’t have Maye’s physical gifts, with Maye’s arm allowing many of the tight-window throws we saw this year to be completed, especially on plays outside the pocket.
That’s a stark contrast to what we saw the previous two seasons. Many of those moments with both Jones and Bailey Zappe instead resulted in sacks, throwaways, or interceptions.
With Maye, save for a couple of throws, it’s tough to look back on the majority of his 10 picks and recall really any “What was he thinking?” type of moments. Listening to him after most of the games, he had instant recall of what he saw on a given play, and the thought process is always measured. It’s also clear he sees the field really well.
With Josh McDaniels now in the fold, it’s absolutely an intriguing dynamic. McDaniels was really good at preparing Jones and was known for being in his ear all the way to the communications cutoff from the sideline, helping ensure he was ready for any situation. With Maye, you’ve got a player with a smart mind and a big arm, which could potentially set up a season in 2025 – if they can surround him with some additional talent – that should be fun to watch.
For now, Maye’s headed to the Pro Bowl and will be among players like Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow, allowing him to rub elbows with some of the best in the game. It may even help him develop relationships with some of the other guys on hand, which could pay dividends down the road when it comes to free agency.
Either way, it’s good to see him get a little recognition after a tough season where he sort of flew under the radar. If all goes well, 2025 might turn out a little differently, and it should be interesting to see where he’s at this time next year.
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Felger/Mazz started saying things about Maye’s turnovers and that he fell short on opportunities for last drives of the game to win etc. Filling air time is fine, but reality is a said in this article… Maye had to play great just to get what he got on stats. Why? It’s a team game. Maye’s “hand of cards” to play in terms of the full team offense wasn’t good. It was poor. He elevated the poor offense. He played like a veteran under pressure and actually better. Every analyst that called the pats games raved watching Maye. Maye made mistakes… Read more »