Bill Simmons Makes Patriots’ Drake Maye MVP Argument

Drake Maye is the star of the MVP conversation, the New England Patriots are sitting on top of the AFC East, and now the focus shifts to the only thing left on the checklist: the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture.

For Maye, this is where legacy reps start stacking up. A clean, in-control showing against the Miami Dolphins in Week 18 could all but lock up his MVP case, assuming nothing weird goes sideways. Last week’s five-touchdown demolition of the New York Jets flipped the entire narrative. Maye didn’t enter the race; he grabbed the wheel.

And now the MVP chatter has reached full volume. Bill Simmons has weighed in, and he’s made his stance on the MVP race crystal clear.

MVP Race Heats Up Between Drake Maye and Stafford

Down the home stretch, the MVP race has basically shrunk to a two-quarterback showdown: Drake Maye vs. Matthew Stafford. But after Stafford’s three-pick faceplant on Monday Night Football, the momentum has swung hard. Maye now walks into the final week of the regular season holding the inside track.

That shift didn’t go unnoticed by Bill Simmons, who made it clear he’s riding with Drake Maye. Simmons broke it down on X, pointing straight to the numbers. By EPA, the Patriots’ offense is punching way above its weight with Maye at the controls, despite a brand-new offensive coordinator and the schedule difference between the two teams. Meanwhile, the Rams rank higher offensively, and Matthew Stafford is operating with every advantage in the book: elite receivers, an indoor track, and Sean McVay calling plays.

Simmons then boiled it down to playoff math. “The Rams are the sixth seed. The MVP comes from the one seed or the two seed. We’ve kind of established that,” he said. “If the Pats are the two seed and Stafford’s the sixth seed, what are we arguing about?”

Homer in Pats hat makes case for Patriot to win MVP. pic.twitter.com/l3ohk0SuDN
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) January 2, 2026

He didn’t stop there. “What happens when Stafford’s on the Patriots? What happens?” Simmons added. “Does he do as well as Drake Maye did? I don’t think he does.”

Stafford is still hanging around the race, but now he needs help. A lot of it. Not only does he have to go nuclear in the finale, but he also needs Maye to stumble. That’s a tough parlay.

With one weekend left, the script is pretty clear. Maye controls his own destiny, the Patriots are winning where it matters, and unless Stafford delivers a vintage reminder game, the MVP lane still belongs to the rookie who keeps passing every pressure test.

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