For Drake Maye, becoming one of the NFL’s brightest young quarterbacks didn’t happen by accident. It was shaped over the years in backyards, front yards, and family gatherings, with a football in hand and his parents and brothers always nearby. Long before he was leading the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl, Maye was learning how to compete, lead, and prepare inside a household built on athletics.
The Patriots star recently opened up about how his father, Mark Maye, and his three brothers continue to influence his development, even as he enters the prime of his professional career. Growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, Maye was surrounded by elite competitors.
His father played quarterback at the University of North Carolina in the 1980s, his mother Aimee was a standout high school basketball player, and his three older brothers all went on to play college sports. Competition was not something he learned later in life, it was embedded in his upbringing.
That connection to his father’s football roots became clearer recently when the family sat down together to watch old game footage.
“I actually recently, me and my family sat around and we watched an old game of his versus NC State,” Maye said. “We were just laughing. They were running like almost every play.”
While the style of football looked different from today’s spread offenses, Maye still came away impressed.
“I know my dad had a real strong arm. He was a pretty good athlete,” he said. “I don’t think he ran as well as I thought he did back in the day.”
More than anything, Maye credits his father with shaping his mindset. Mark consistently pushed his sons to be confident, present, and willing to step into leadership roles.
“My dad always said he wants us to be the ones that want to be in the moment,” Maye explained. “He pushed us to be in the spotlight and step out of our comfort zone.”
Having a parent who had already navigated college football also gave Maye a valuable perspective as he climbed the ranks. “Just having somebody in my corner that experienced this all… up to college, is pretty sweet,” he said.
Even after reaching the NFL, Maye hasn’t abandoned the routines that helped build his foundation. His offseason training still revolves around family.
“He still is,” Maye said when asked if his father remains involved. “He’s still the guy in the offseason.”
Mark handles the snaps, while Drake’s brothers serve as targets.
“My three brothers are usually spot catching,” Maye said with a laugh. “They don’t run any routes, but they spot catch. So I got about three, six, seven tight ends out there.”
It may not resemble a professional training facility, but it provides something just as valuable: comfort, trust, and familiarity. “That’s how I wouldn’t like it any other way,” he said.
Between his father, his brothers, and himself, Maye joked that their backyard sessions resemble a full roster. “Got three wide receivers and a center and a quarterback,” he added.
While his father laid the technical foundation, Maye says his mother, Aimee, shaped his competitiveness and leadership just as much. A former star basketball player at West Charlotte High School, she brought intensity into every environment.
“The biggest thing with my mom is the competitive side that comes out of her,” Maye said.
Whether it was on the golf course or in the stands, Aimee’s passion was always visible.
“You see her yelling and getting into it with some parents,” he recalled. “Us sons used to be like, ‘Mom, stop.’ But looking back, man, my mom was dope for that.”
That same energy extended into daily lessons about accountability and presence.
“She’s always on me about body language,” Maye explained. “Little things about leadership and pumping guys up. I’ll have my head down and she gets mad at me for it.”
Those small corrections, he believes, helped shape him into a more complete leader. “Little things like that, moms are just great at,” he said.
Mark and Aimee Maye met at the University of North Carolina, where Mark played quarterback from 1983 to 1988. Together, they built a household rooted in discipline, values, and competition. In 2023, Mark told 247Sports that character was always prioritized over talent.
“We really tried to do our best with them and enjoy them,” he said. “The guys have, for the most part, adhered to their values.”
Each son carved his own path. Luke and Beau starred in basketball at UNC, Cole pitched at Florida, and Drake followed his father into football. In North Carolina, they became known collectively as “the Mayes” — four brothers born within five and a half years, all elite athletes.
Despite his eventual success, Drake was once the smallest in the family. He often referred to himself as the “runt,” constantly battling older, bigger brothers. “I was getting beat up on,” he once said. “Luckily, I was the most athletic, so I could run away.”
I took this photo when I visited with the Maye family in the NC mountains in the summer of 2017.
Drake's 3 older brothers are towering over him in background. Drake, in front, was still 14 years old here.
Now, 8+ years later, he starts the AFC championship game for New England. pic.twitter.com/h3ZQYKg4xs— Scott Fowler (@scott_fowler) January 25, 2026
From physical pickup games to relentless trash talk, Drake learned early how to respond to pressure and adversity. For years, he lived in the shadow of his older brothers, especially Luke, whose famous buzzer-beater sent UNC to the 2017 Final Four. At Drake’s high school games, fans often focused more on Luke in the stands than the quarterback on the field. Still, Drake steadily built his own reputation through football.
At Myers Park High School, he threw 50 touchdowns as a junior and drew interest from every major program. He initially committed to Alabama before flipping to North Carolina, embracing his family’s legacy.
“I think (Drake’s) family probably recruited him, too,” Chadwick joked.
At UNC, Maye developed into one of the nation’s top quarterbacks and was selected third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Patriots.
In January 2026, he led New England to its first playoff win since 2019. Now, at just 23 years old, he is preparing to play in Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks, with a chance to become the youngest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl.
Yet despite the spotlight, Maye’s foundation remains unchanged. His offseason still starts with his father snapping the ball, his brothers catching passes, and his mother reminding him to lead with confidence. “I wouldn’t like it any other way,” Maye concluded.
