The New England Patriots aren’t just winning, they’re storming back into the NFL spotlight behind a rookie quarterback who refuses to be anyone but himself. And that’s notable, because Drake Maye walked into a franchise long defined by one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. For decades, the Patriots have lived under Tom Brady’s shadow. But this season, the conversation is shifting.
Maye’s rise has come with the kind of weekly excellence that has put him in historic company while propelling New England to an NFL-best 11–2 start. And for anyone wondering whether the 23-year-old is trying to replicate the Brady era, former Patriots QB Brian Hoyer made it clear this week that the new Pats identity looks, and sounds, very different.
“Vrabel is not trying to be Belichick, Drake Maye is not trying to be Tom Brady even though he’s running the same offense. I didn’t play with Mike but he was the coach in Houston when I was in Houston and he’s an alpha dog — he is gonna go in and he’s going to say that this is the way we’re going to do it. And the team has really embraced that. The guys love him and they’ve responded by playing to his style… they’re playing for each other and they’re having fun doing it.”
That shift is showing on the field. In Monday night’s 33–15 dismantling of the New York Giants, Maye delivered one of the sharpest outings of his rookie year with 24-of-31 passing yards, 282 rushing, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and a 126.0 passer rating.
That rating not only led the league in Week 13, it edged out Matthew Stafford and pushed Maye to the top of the MVP race. FanDuel now lists the Patriots quarterback at +100, narrowly ahead of Stafford at +105, with Jordan Love far behind. The win also extended New England’s streak to 10 straight, putting them at 11–2 heading into their Week 14 bye.
Maye’s breakthrough isn’t just a statistical one. With Monday’s win, he joined Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks since 1950 under age 24 to record an 80+ passer rating in 10 straight victories. The Patriots’ playoff path is now in clear view: on Dec. 14 vs. Bills a win will clinch the AFC East, ending Buffalo’s five-year run. According to ESPN Analytics, the Patriots’ win pushed their odds to secure the AFC’s No. 1 seed from 37% to 46%. A first-round bye is very much in play.
And every week, the MVP chants grow louder in Foxborough, not because Drake Maye is becoming Brady, but because he’s becoming something new entirely.
