New England Patriots
“I think he played the position in a different way than a lot of people do, and the guys around him rallied around him.”
Sunday was a homecoming of sorts for Patriots QB Drake Maye.
Even though the matchup was set in Foxborough, it involved Maye and the Patriots taking on the QB’s hometown team: the Carolina Panthers.
Maye — who grew up just north of Charlotte in Huntersville, North Carolina — didn’t hold back earlier this week when discussing his love for the Panthers and especially their former franchise QB, Cam Newton.
“I went to the Super Bowl when they lost to Peyton Manning, and that was tough,” Maye said. “But yeah, just that season. I think they were 15-1. I was at that NFC Championship game at home, big time win. Just being a fan of Cam [Newton] was probably the biggest memory, him coming out here, doing the airplane and hitting ‘The Cam.’”
“So, just little things like that, and getting to know him later on and playing him. He coached the 7-on-7 team and playing against him and seeing stuff like that. So, just getting to know some of the players around has been pretty cool.”
Maye and the Patriots got the better of the Panthers on Sunday via a 42-13 blowout at Gillette Stadium. But Maye still managed to find a way to pay tribute to Newton, who also played one season in New England in 2020.
Along with throwing for two touchdowns in the win, Maye rushed in for a five-yard score early in the second quarter — finding the end zone off a bootleg to the left side of the field.
As wide receiver Mack Hollins celebrated behind him, Maye mimicked Newton’s signature “Superman” celebration in the end zone.
“Right when I saw those jerseys, it reminded me of Cam, just the energy he brought,” Maye said. “I don’t show much emotion out there, probably need to show more. Times when I do, yeah — it’s a fun loving position.
“I think he played the position in a different way than a lot of people do, and the guys around him rallied around him. I had another one late, I think in the third or fourth, I had a safety one-on-one. I know Cam probably would have [taken] him on and tried to score. Yeah, I got to meet him through the process. I’m a big fan. He was my favorite player growing up, so pretty cool.”
Maye has continued to spark hope in New England as a potential franchise fixture at QB this season.
He was efficient on Sunday against Carolina, completing 14 of his 17 passes for 203 yards and three total touchdowns. More importantly, both he and the rest of New England’s offense wasn’t knocked for a turnover.
While Maye believes that he still has plenty to work on, he believes he’s starting to get more comfortable in Josh McDaniels’ system.
“I sure hope so. If it leads to wins, that’s what I’m trying to become and the quarterback I’m trying to become,” Maye said when asked if Sunday was what fans should expect from him moving forward.
“I try to do it kind of just my whole career, kind of spread it around and give it to the guys that can make plays. I think everybody’s got some chance on our team, our skill guys to make the defense give them a problem.”
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