Tom Brady finally expresses how he feels about Drake Maye and what he is doing as QB1 in New England.
Tom Brady's legacy is all over Gillette Stadium. So much so that there is even a statue of him outside the stadium. It's safe to say that in year number one for Drake Maye, he got a pass. In year two, Patriots fans and beat reporters needed to see something.
Boy, it has been a fun five months of seeing what the 2024 third overall pick can do.
Still, the Brady comparisons have been there all season for Maye, and rightfully so; his stats in his second year are pacing alongside some of Brady's best seasons in the NFL.
Maye has shattered Brady's 2007 completion percentage of 68.9% with 71.9%; he would record 13 games of 100+ passer rating, breaking Brady's record of 12 in 2010 (he won MVP that year).
Then there's the year 2 comparisons recorded by the Boston Globe, which have Maye recording 4,394 yards, 35 TDs, and 6 fewer interceptions.
Both Brady and Maye have avoided publicly discussing any comparisons between the two. Maye wants to forge his own destiny, and Brady has gotten out of the way to do so for the next quarterback in New England.
The seven-time Super Bowl champ is also a Fox Sports color commentator and a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, a game shy of the Super Bowl, Brady has given his flowers to Maye and his leadership capabilities on Friday afternoon's episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
"If you're not humble, this game will humble you... Drake Maye has that humility. Everything that comes out of his mouth is always about the team," Brady told Cowherd.
A very accurate observation by the GOAT. Maye always deflects any individual praise sent his way and sends it back, letting reporters know how blessed he is to be part of this team.
It's a tactic we once saw Brady perfect after every win. Maye and Brady also know what they have to do better when facing a loss, too, as the two are their loudest critics.
With all the comparisons to the man with a statue outside of the stadium's walls, Maye could take another step closer to aligning himself with Brady's legacy this Sunday in the AFC championship game.
Maye could also accomplish it in a place where Brady struggled to win, Denver, Colorado.