Drake Maye has an opportunity to do something that was last done by the legendary Tom Brady — win a Super Bowl for the New England Patriots. The quarterback put together an MVP-caliber season on his road to the grand finale, and he’ll rely on strong inspiration to get his team over the line.
But who was the first to inspire Maye in his NFL journey?
Patriots QB Drake Maye Names Aaron Rodgers Over Tom Brady As Football Inspiration
Having spent 23 years in the NFL, Brady inspired many current and future stars, but he wasn’t Maye’s biggest inspiration. While Maye grew up with Brady winning Super Bowls left and right, one of the most elite throwers in NFL history was the first to inspire him — Aaron Rodgers.
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“One of the first names that comes to mind, as a young middle schooler that fell in love with the position, would be Aaron Rodgers,” Maye said at Super Bowl 60 Opening Night. “I was a big fan of Aaron Rodgers. I got a chance to play him a few times.”
Beyond the sheer passing talent that Rodgers has illustrated throughout his career, Maye particularly admires Rodgers for how he treats the people around him.
“How he’s treated me, you know, he reached out to me after the game, and he’s such a special thrower of the football,” Maye added. “He’s got so much swag. It’s different when you see him in warmups, throwing the football. And I’ve heard from teammates of his, coaches of his, how he treats others and care about others inside the facility is just special. I’m a big fan of his.”
Rodgers has spent 21 years in the NFL compiling one of the most impressive resumes the game has ever seen. He’s a Super Bowl champion, Super Bowl MVP, four-time First-Team All-Pro, 10-time Pro Bowler, and four-time MVP, among more.
He had a late start in the league, backing up Brett Favre at the Green Bay Packers in his first three years — putting him on the back foot when it comes to catching Brady on the stat sheets.
However, given that more and more youngsters model their game after Rodgers, there’s much to be said about his impact on the NFL.
As for Maye, he’ll look to unleash that Rodgers precision on Sunday, when the Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of Super Bowl 49, which Brady won for New England.
Maye and the offense have a tall task ahead of them, as Seattle sports the No. 1 defense in pro football (88.4 in PFSN Defense Impact). The Seahawks have allowed an average of only 17.2 points per game this season, leaving us with an intriguing matchup.
