New England Patriots
“The good part is trying all her stuff she bakes and trying to bring some leftovers into the building.”
Patriots QB Drake Maye made his weekly appearance on “WEEI Afternoons” on Monday, with the NFL MVP candidate touching on topics that ranged from New England’s upcoming showdown with the Bills, his wife’s viral baking videos, and much more.
Here are three takeaways from his latest interview:
Ann Michael Maye’s “Bakemas“
Drake Maye is far from the only member of his family who has become beloved in New England in short order.
Maye’s wife, Ann Michael Maye, has become a social-media sensation due to her baking recipes, which she shares online via TikTok.
Ann Michael has already gained over 195,000 followers on her account — where she posts videos of her kitchen creations like focaccia, lemon raspberry cookies, apple cinnamon bars, and chocolate chip cookies.
During the holiday season, Ann Michael has also run a monthlong online challenge called “Bakemas”, where she bakes a new treat every day in December until Christmas.
Beyond her baking prowess, the comment section of her videos often served as a forum for Patriots fans to share their adulation for Drake Maye and his skills on the gridiron.
When asked about those comments on his wife’s videos, Maye opted to place the spotlight on his wife’s cooking skills.
“Yeah, a lot of my friends and family members laugh at them and always tell me to go look,” Maye said of Patriots fans comments on the videos, adding: “I see her making them, and I think they’re funny. But no, it’s been awesome in her little journey. And doing ‘Bakemas’ right now.
“The good part is trying all her stuff she bakes and trying to bring some leftovers into the building. And I think people up north kind of struggle with the double name … so hopefully people figure that out. But no, she’s a superstar, and she’s been a big addition for me, being up here and living with me.”
As for his favorite baked goods prepared by his wife?
“She made some oatmeal cream pies that I love the other day,” Maye said. “I don’t know. She’s really up to make whatever. I love her regular cookies, chocolate chip cookies. She does it all. She cooks good dinners. So really, whatever she’s up for — she’ll try whatever.”
Pitching Boston to MLB free agents
Maye already has his hands full this week preparing for a key showdown with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
But the Patriots QB also opted to make a pitch to potential MLB free agents as the Red Sox look to reel in a few marquee free agents this offseason.
“I think just the way this city and the New England area embraces sports, sports players and professional sports players is one of the coolest things I’ve been a part of,” Maye said. “Watching them embrace me and embrace my teammates and some of the other athletes, and how beloved some of the famous guys [are] — Big Papi and some of the greats, [Jayson] Tatum right now and [David Pastrnak] with the Bruins — has been really cool for me. And it’s one of, I think, the greatest sports cities in the country.
Clearly, Maye has been following with some of the rumors linking the Red Sox to top sluggers like Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber.
“I think Schwarber knows a little bit about it, playing here [previously]. And Pete was in New York, and there’s a lot of other teams in New York, so I can’t speak exactly for what it’s like there,” Maye said. “But I know in New England, in this area, it’s 24/7 you’re caring about the teams.
“And it’s us, the Bruins, the Celtics and the Red Sox. It’s us four, and they care a great deal about us. And I think it’s the City of Champions. I mean, that’s what they say, and I think that’s what we try to prove and give them [something] to cheer about. And these fans take it well.”
Bracing for the Bills
Maye and the Patriots have plenty at stake coming out of the bye week.
With a win over the Bills on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots will clinch the AFC East for the first time since 2019.
In the grind of a long season, an opportunity to clinch a division title should give Maye and his teammates plenty of motivation as they look to extend their win streak to 11 straight games.
“I think it’s one of our goals this year — to win our division,” Maye said. “And it’s pretty cool to see that come to life, and one of the biggest things that coach Vrabel is big on is going out and earning it. … But at the same time, all that hat and t-shirt stuff — I think the best thing I heard from Coach [Josh] McDaniels is you really got to keep going.
“There’s the big one at the end. You don’t really care as much about what you get for the [wins] along the way. The last game is a big one that you really hold on to. So that’s what we’re trying to work to. And I know a lot of people out there are trying to work towards the same goal. So it’s a tough challenge.”
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