Drake Maye has made NFL history, achieving something that Tom Brady never did during his time with the New England Patriots. On Sunday, he guided the Patriots to an AFC Championship win, beating the Denver Broncos 10-7 on their home turf. Interestingly, Brady faced the Broncos in the playoffs three times on the road but fell short each time against quarterbacks Jake Plummer and Peyton Manning.
In this game, Maye became the first quarterback to win a conference championship game away from home before turning 24. The last player to accomplish such a feat was Ben Roethlisberger for the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2005.
Maye’s performance included completing 10 passes out of 21 attempts for 86 yards, along with five sacks. A critical turnover by the Broncos and a game-tying rushing touchdown played pivotal roles in securing the victory.
This achievement places Maye alongside Brady as one of the only quarterbacks in Patriots history to lead their team to a Super Bowl within their first two seasons. It’s worth noting that only the Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers have had multiple quarterbacks reach the Super Bowl in their first or second year.
“I’m really proud of this team,” Maye commented. “Words aren’t necessary; I just want to express my gratitude to everyone here. I love each of them; this was a team effort.”
It’s been an impressive season for the North Carolina native. He is also among the finalists for the NFL MVP award.
During this season, Maye has tallied 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdown passes, and only eight interceptions, leading New England to an AFC East title and a second seed spot in the playoffs.
