Former North Carolina Tar Heels star Drake Maye has the NFL's strangest nickname.
Former North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye has established himself as an MVP candidate during his second NFL season with the New England Patriots, and he has also received a rather interesting nickname in the process.
Drake "Drake Maye" Maye.
No, seriously. That's the nickname, and it's even on his Pro Football Reference page.
The joke, I guess, is that Maye is so good that he doesn't actually need a nickname, but his Patriots teammates seem to be loving it.
Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was caught laughing about it on the sideline during New England's win over the New York Giants earlier this month, and now, edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson has provided his thoughts on the nickname.
"I don’t think that anything that he’s shown so far is anything that anybody could have ever predicted and been like, ‘Man, this is Drake Maye,’" Chaisson told reporters. "You know? Drake ‘Drake Maye’ Maye, however you say it. Drake ‘Drake Maye’ Maye. He’s got a cool vibe to him, man."
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images.Chaisson's explanation is as nonsensical as the nickname itself, but hey; it's working for everyone, as the Pats are 13-3 and have clinched the AFC East division title.
Maye spent three seasons at North Carolina between 2021 and 2023, leading the ACC in passing yards each of his last two years at Chapel Hill.
The 23-year-old was then selected by the Patriots with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He began his rookie campaign on the bench, but eventually usurped Jacoby Brissett as the team's starting quarterback midway through the season.
Maye was definitely mistake-prone in Year 1, but he showed enough where some felt he could ultimately be New England's long-term answer under center.
Fast forward to now, and Maye not only looks like a franchise quarterback, but one of the best signal-callers in football, period.
The sophomore has thrown for 4,203 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight picks while completing 71.7 percent of his passes and posting a 112.9 passer rating. Those latter two statistics both lead the league. Additionally, Maye has rushed for 409 yards and four scores.
Most importantly, Maye has the Pats in position to potentially embark on a deep playoff run.