Drake Maye ‘is gonna ruin my life and take over the AFC East’

New England Patriots

“It reminded me of a guy that used to play for the Patriots, and it scared the crap out of me.”

By Conor Roche

December 27, 2025 | 4:12 PM

2 minutes to read

Drake Maye recorded his first 300-yard passing performance and fourth-quarter comeback in the Patriots’ Week 16 win over the Ravens. He also struck some fear into the heart of at least one former division rival.

Former Bills quarterback and current “Thursday Night Football” analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick said that he’s buying stock in the Patriots as a contender following the victory, largely because of Drake Maye. In fact, Fitzpatrick was willing to go as far as comparing Maye to Tom Brady.

“The Patriots, they finally made me a believer,” Fitzpatrick said on his podcast, “Fitz & Whit,” with former NFL offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth. “Watching them against Baltimore, they came back, but it was more just the play of Drake Maye. He’s all of a sudden developed this great pocket presence. It reminded me of a guy that used to play for the Patriots, and it scared the crap out of me.”

In Sunday’s win, Maye instantly flipped the script around on the Ravens in the fourth quarter after a shaky first three quarters. Maye completed 12 of 14 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping New England come back from a 24-13 deficit en route to a 28-24 win.

While the touchdown pass came on a 37-yard deep ball to Kyle Williams, most of Maye’s completions in the final frame were intermediate throws. In the win, Maye completed 20 of 23 short passes (zero to nine air yards) for 157 yards and a 109.6 passer rating, per Pro Football Focus. He finished with 380 total passing yards, two touchdown passes, and an interception with a 102.5 passer rating.

The performance also kept Maye firmly in the MVP debate, as most oddsmakers have him not too far behind Matthew Stafford as the betting favorite to win the award. But for Fitzpatrick, who aligns himself with the Bills more than the other eight teams he played with, Maye’s showing on Sunday night was a sign of what’s to come.

“I don’t like seeing it,” Fitzpatrick said. “New England, after that Baltimore game, looks like they got another stud. And now I am completely convinced Drake Maye is gonna ruin my life and take over the AFC East.”