Patriots' Drake Maye Falls Just Short of Winning NFL MVP

The meteoric rise of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye to the top of the NFL quarterback ranks has been one of the main reasons why the team is only one victory away from capturing what would be an NFL-record seventh Super Bowl championship.

With just over two days remaining until Maye leads his team into a showdown with the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif, Maye came up short in his bid for NFL MVP, finishing second in the running to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Despite Stafford having finished the season with more touchdown passes (46, to Maye’s 31) and passing yards (4,707 to Maye’s 4,394), the third overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft holds the league’s top spot when it comes to completion percentage (72%) and passer rating (113.5.) Maye also rushed for 450 yards and four touchdowns on the ground — only adding to his multi-dimensional mystique.

Though several Patriots players have significantly contributed to their streak of success, the one constant throughout the season has been Maye. The third overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft compiled 4,394 passing yards and 31 touchdowns to just eight interceptions — helping to lead the Patriots to a 14-3 record and their first postseason appearance since 2021. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Maye is also earning deserved mentions as a strong candidate for NFL MVP.

In three playoff appearances to date, the 23-year-old UNC product has completed 43-of-77 passes (55.8%) with four touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also run for 141 yards on 24 carries with one rushing touchdown. Despite some postseason struggles, his poise and big-play ability have more than validated the faith shown to him by head coach Mike Vrabel as the Patriots’ coaching staff.

Drake Maye has Served as the Cornerstone of the Patriots Offense

Feb 4, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) speaks to the media at the Santa Clara Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Perhaps best known for his elite arm strength, the 6’4” 225-pounder also possesses the velocity and touch on the ball to make any throw required of him. Maye has also been equally touted for his exceptional athleticism. When the play breaks down, he possesses both the agility and instinct to turn off-script options into big gains. In fact, Maye has carried the ball 103 times for 450 yards and four touchdowns this season — only adding to his multi-dimensional mystique. For his efforts, he was selected the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 13, earned a Pro Bowl selection, a second-team All Pro nod and he was selected to the PFWA’s All-AFC team.

Still, Maye remains confident in the skill set and determination which has led both he and the Patriots to the precipice of the promised land. As he takes the field for what promises to be his most important game to date, the UNC product will be squarely focused on his opposition, and on doing his job.

“Just be mindful back there and just know that my job is to protect the football,” Maye said at the end of January. “I know that we faced some pretty good edge rushers in the past couple weeks … We’ve got another good set of edge rushers coming up this week. So just know, have a feel for it and just protect football because that's my job.”

Still, this has been a highly-decorated season for the Pats’ starter. In addition to being named to his second Pro Bowl, and earning second-team All-Pro honored, Maye was named the 2025 NFL Most Improved Player of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA), per the organization’s formal on Jan. 23. Maye is the first New England player to receive the Most Improved Player of the Year honor since it was first awarded by the PFWA in 2000.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much