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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 18: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots warms up prior to the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was heavily criticized in a recent piece from The Athletic.
At face value, Maye and the Patriots had a solid 2025 season. They finished with a 14-3 record and Maye played well. He threw for 4.394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. On top of this, he threw for a 72% completion percentage, which ranked first in the NFL. The North Carolina product also showed his ability to run. He had 450 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the season.
With that being said, one writer isn’t necessarily convinced about the quarterback’s play last season. The Ringer’s Steven Ruiz made his case on the season. Although he paid respect to the quarterback, he did have his doubts as well.
“Drake Maye would have been better off if the Patriots had gone one and done in the playoffs,” Ruiz wrote. “I don’t know whether we’ve ever seen a quarterback’s reputation take a bigger hit after a run to the Super Bowl.”
“New England’s offense was horribly outmatched against the gauntlet of elite defense it faced in the postseason, and Mauye didn’t take advantage of the few opportunities he was given. It was a bad showing for the MVP runner-up.”
Maye Produced For Patriots At High Level
This is certainly a strong take from Ruiz. For one thing, what the Patriots accomplished in the 2025 season was certainly better than the season they endured in 2024. At that point, the Patriots were just starting to develop Maye. The team finished with a 4-13 record and looked as though they were going to be in a significant rebuild for a number of seasons.
Secondly, the proof was in the pudding statistically in terms of how impressive the 2025 season was. Maye’s passing yards increased from 2,276 to 4394. He doubled his passing touchdowns from 15 in 2024 to 31 in 2025. The touchdown passes were the most in a season by a Patriots quarterback since Tom Brady in 2017.
The quarterback also elevated his completion percentage from 66.6% to 72%. His passer rating also improved from around 80 to 113.5. This number also led the NFL.
The growth was evident for the quarterback last season. Last season also indicated that the Patriots had their franchise quarterback. This is something that they had been looking for since the departure of Tom Brady. They initially tried to find a franchise quarterback with Mac Jones. However, Jones struggled during his tenure with the Patriots.
Patriots Have Cornerstone In Maye
Now, the Patriots have their franchise cornerstone in Maye. Super Bowl performance undoubtedly deserves a bit of criticism. He struggled against the vaunted Seattle Seahawks defense, and the numbers proved it. He went on seven-of-43 on the afternoon, throwing for 295 yards two touchdowns, and two interceptions. The 235 passing yards he threw in the fourth quarter were a Super Bowl record.
That being said, he took six sacks, which was a record for the franchise as well. It certainly was a rough outing for a team that wasn’t necessarily expected to be in football’s biggest game.
With that being said, the future is certainly bright for the Patriots. Ruiz certainly made strong statements here, especially given the turnaround the Patriots had overall. There is still a lot more work to be done, and a lot more areas for the team to improve. The foundation is certainly there for the Patriots, and they have things to work with. It will be fun to see what it will be able to do with another offseason under its belt and expectations higher than ever.
Danny Jaillet Danny Jaillet is a sportswriter with more than 15 years experience in the industry. He has been featured on Fox Sports, USA Today, and Yahoo Sports among others. He graduated from Worcester State University with a B.A. in communications and a minor in writing. More about Danny Jaillet
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