New England Patriots legend Tom Brady has revealed what makes quarterback Drake Maye so effective.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is an MVP candidate in what is only his second season, leading the Patriots to an 11-2 record and putting them in a position to clinch the AFC East division title against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
But what is it that makes Maye so effective?
While speaking to Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports, Tom Brady revealed Maye's secret to success.
“Josh McDaniels is still one of my great friends. I’ve known him for 25 years. He talks about [Maye’s] work ethic, his willingness to get better and improve week in and week out," Brady said. "He’s a sponge for information, and that’s more important for me than what I see on the film.”
Of course, McDaniels served as Brady's offensive coordinator throughout much of his illustrious tenure in New England, so Brady certainly trusts what the coach tells him.
Brady added that he loves how well Maye throws the ball down the field.
“With Drake, he has the physical ability, he has the size,” Brady said. “But I think in terms of physical skillset, his downfield passing ability is awesome.”
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images.Those are quite the compliments from the GOAT.
Maye has thrown for 3,412 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 71.5 percent of his passes this season, the latter of which leads the NFL. He owns an 111.9 passer rating and has rushed for 319 yards and a couple of scores.
The Pats originally selected Maye with the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Maye was initially viewed as very raw coming out of the University of North Carolina and began his rookie campaign as Jacoby Brissett's backup.
However, it didn't take long for the 23-year-old to supplant Brissett, as he took over as the starting quarterback in mid-October and put together a very impressive rookie season.
Maye was prone to mistakes during his first year, but he has cleaned a lot of that up this season and has the Patriots in position to potentially nab a first-round bye in the playoffs.
New England is currently tied with the Denver Broncos at the top of the AFC standings, but because the Broncos own the tiebreaker, they have the 1-seed over the Pats at the moment.