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Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics walked into TD Garden on Super Bowl Sunday with five straight wins behind them. Two nights earlier, they had erased a double-digit deficit to beat the Miami Heat. The energy in the building suggested another strong performance was coming.
It never materialized. The New York Knicks took control from the opening tip and never gave it back. Boston’s winning streak ended with a 111-89 defeat.
Hours later, Super Bowl LX ended in disappointment for another Boston team. The New England Patriots fell to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 at Levi’s Stadium, coming up one win short of completing their remarkable turnaround season.
Drake Maye completed 27 of 43 passes for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. At just 23 years old, no quarterback has taken the field for a Super Bowl at a younger age since Dan Marino did it decades ago. But the Seahawks’ defense sacked him six times and held the Patriots scoreless through three quarters. New England’s offense never found rhythm against Seattle’s pressure, and the deficit became too large to overcome.
After the game ended, one Boston star reached out to another with a message rooted in experience.
Brown’s Message to Maye After Super Bowl Loss
Jaylen Brown addressed Maye’s Super Bowl defeat on his Twitch stream, and his words carried the weight of someone who understands exactly what the young quarterback is feeling.
“He has a lotta potential in front of him,” Brown said. “Even though the Super Bowl was a performance that he doesn’t feel great about but… I’ve been there, I’ve been to the finals and lost, I know what it feels like.”
Brown offered perspective shaped by his own setbacks on basketball’s biggest stage.
“Turn all that hurt into fuel, and I promise you, you’ll be better for it,” Brown said. “Level up, come back even better.”
The message reflected genuine belief in what Maye accomplished this season despite Sunday’s outcome. Brown made that clear with his final thought.
“Could have been an MVP year, should have been an MVP year for Drake Maye,” Brown said. “I stand on that.”
It was the kind of support that carries meaning because it comes from someone who has walked a similar path. Brown experienced his own championship disappointment in 2022. Two years later, he held the Finals MVP.
Jaylen Brown about Maye’s SuperBowl loss:
“He has a lotta potential in front of him…I’ve been there, I’ve been to the finals and lost, I know what it feels like”
Why Brown’s Words Carry Weight
Jaylen Brown has been to the NBA Finals. He has come up short. The sting of losing on the biggest stage isn’t theoretical for him.
Those experiences inform how he approaches setbacks now. Brown has used every disappointment as motivation to improve, and his career trajectory shows the results. He’s elevated into an MVP candidate this season, carrying the Celtics without Jayson Tatum while averaging close to 30 points per game.
The connection between Brown and Maye runs deeper than just sharing a city. Maye publicly campaigned for Brown to win NBA MVP back in December, calling him a legitimate candidate without hesitation.
“Oh, I think 100%,” Maye said when asked if Brown could win MVP. “I think he’s had how many games of 30 plus? I think he just had a couple of games of 40. He’s doing what he needs to do; he can score the ball at will. He does it so nonchalantly it looks like he’s not even trying out there.”
The respect goes both ways. Brown watched what Maye did this season and recognized greatness even when the final game didn’t go New England’s way.
GettyBoston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics Patriots Connection
Drake Maye has been to TD Garden a few times since being drafted, showing up to watch the Celtics play. He was courtside for Brown’s buzzer-beater in Game 1 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. ‘I Love Drake Maye’ shirts can be seen on the jumbotron at every game. The Boston connection runs deep.
The parallel paths created mutual understanding. Brown knows what it’s like to handle enormous expectations while dealing with criticism. Maye experienced that throughout the playoffs as defenses adjusted and pressure mounted.
Brown’s words after the Super Bowl loss reflected that understanding. He saw someone going through what he’s been through, and he offered the perspective that only comes from experience.
What Maye Showed Despite the Loss
Drake Maye’s Super Bowl performance didn’t match the standard he set throughout the season. The Seahawks’ defense dominated from the opening drive, generating pressure and forcing mistakes that prevented New England’s offense from ever settling in.
But the loss doesn’t define what Maye accomplished in 2025. Maye inherited a franchise coming off consecutive last-place finishes and delivered a 17-4 season that ended with a championship game appearance.
Brown’s assessment still stands. This could have been an MVP year for Maye. The numbers, the wins, and the leadership all supported that case. One game doesn’t erase what he built.
GettyNew England Patriots QB Drake Maye
Final Word for the Celtics
Jaylen Brown’s message to Drake Maye wasn’t just encouragement. It was a blueprint.
Brown has taken every disappointment in his career and used it to get better. He’s turned criticism into motivation and setbacks into stepping stones.
Maye now has his own fuel. The Super Bowl loss will sting for a long time, but Brown’s point is simple. Use it. Let it drive you to improve. Come back better than you were before.
The two stars operate in different sports, but they share the same city and similar pressures. Both carry the weight of the city’s great expectations. And now, both understand what it means to compete at the highest level and come up short.
Brown’s path shows what’s possible when you respond to defeat in the right way. He didn’t let the Finals loss define him. He shifted the energy and used it as fuel.
If Maye follows that blueprint, the Patriots’ future looks bright. He’s just 23 years old with a Super Bowl appearance already on his resume. The potential Brown mentioned is real, and the hurt from Sunday’s loss can become exactly what Brown promised it would be.
Fuel.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins