Ex-Jets star scoffs at notion that Drake Maye is a candidate for MVP

New England Patriots

“MVP? I think that’s disrespectful to Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold, and Matthew Stafford.”

By Conor Roche

November 14, 2025 | 4:27 PM

3 minutes to read

Not everyone is chanting for Drake Maye to win MVP or even be considered for the honor.

Former Jets linebacker turned ESPN analyst Bart Scott believes that Maye shouldn’t be among the candidates for MVP due to the Patriots’ coaching and quality of opponents so far.

“No, I saw a quarterback that has a good coordinator that designs good plays for him,” Scott said when asked if he sees an MVP-type player in Maye on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “But I also see a team that’s beat teams with a combined record of 37-66. Let’s keep it in perspective.

“Now, I did see a very good player, but I wouldn’t be surprised, wouldn’t be shocked, if they win the division and have to host Kansas City, Baltimore or Buffalo and get sent home.”

The Patriots’ quality of opponents has been a common sticking point for those who have questioned just how high their ceiling is despite their league-best 9-2 record. To their point, New England’s strength of schedule is the worst in the league this season and the Patriots are the only team whose opponents’ combined winning percentage is less than .400 (.356). Some other measures point to the Patriots’ strength of schedule being historically weak.

However, the Patriots’ strength of victory (.353) is in the same ballpark as many of the other AFC playoff contenders, such as the Colts (.373), Broncos (.331), Bills (.362), and Chiefs (.362). The Patriots are also 2-1 against opponents who are above .500 this season, beating the Bills and Buccaneers after losing to the Steelers.

Maye also mostly played well in the Patriots’ three games against opponents with a record above .500 this season. He’s averaged 270 passing yards and 23.3 rushing yards over those games, throwing for four touchdowns and two interceptions.

But Maye’s arguably had his best games against teams below .500. That was the case on Thursday night, when he threw for 281 yards and a touchdown in a 27-14 win over the Jets. Maye was also highly efficient in that game, completing his first 11 passes as he completed 25 of 34 throws (73.5 percent).

Still, as Maye recorded his ninth game with at least 200 passing yards and a 100 passer rating this season, Scott hasn’t seen enough from the Patriots quarterback to place him among the frontrunners for MVP. Scott emphasized the help around Maye as a reason for that.

“This is a well-coached team that’s playing about as high as they could, and they have a quarterback that’s not losing the game, able to make plays down the field,” Scott said. “You know, 66 percent in throws over 20 yards [down the field] or better — that’s great. That allows you to get explosive. That means they can score. I think Stefon Diggs has become the kind of route-runner that they need, being able to move the chains and things like that, be that outlet for [Maye].

“But MVP? I think that’s disrespectful to Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold, and Matthew Stafford.”

Scott isn’t the first to point out that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has greatly helped Maye this season. Maye would also be the first to say that McDaniels has elevated his play this season. But the talent around Maye was largely seen among the league’s worst entering the season, with their offensive line still being viewed as a middle-of-the-pack unit.

Regardless of how you feel about the talent and help around Maye, he’s statistically been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks this season. He’s seventh in passing yards per game (257.8), tied for second in touchdown passes (20), and fifth in passer rating (113.2). He also leads the NFL in metrics like completion percentage over expected (CPOE) and expected points added (EPA). On top of that, Maye has the NFL’s second-best passer rating (139.6) on passes of 20-plus air yards.

The players Scott mentioned as his MVP frontrunners have all put up pretty strong seasons as well. Jones and Darnold are both top-10 in passer rating, while Stafford leads the league in passing touchdowns by five despite playing one fewer game than Maye and some other quarterbacks.

But Maye is the current favorite to win MVP at most sportsbooks, if only slightly. He holds +235 odds to win the award at DraftKings Sportsbook, as Stafford has +250 odds for MVP.