FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Gillette Stadium was shaking. The chants echoed across Foxborough — “MVP! MVP!” — as Drake Maye jogged toward the sideline after another touchdown sealed a 32–13 win over the Cleveland Browns.
But the rookie quarterback wasn’t listening.
“I didn’t hear it,” Maye said with a grin after the game. “The guys were making fun of me for my slide, but the fans have been awesome. They’ve been through it these last few years. It’s been a journey.”
That “journey” now includes five straight wins, an offense that finally looks alive, and a 21-year-old quarterback quietly crafting a legitimate MVP résumé. Against one of the league’s best defenses, Maye shrugged off a rough first half and delivered a second-half masterpiece — 8-for-8 passing, 114 yards, three touchdowns, and a perfect 158.3 rating.
For the game, he finished 18-of-24 for 282 yards, three touchdowns, and a 135.8 passer rating — his fifth straight game leading an offense that’s scored at least 23 points.
His connection with Kayshon Boutte continues to spark highlight after highlight, including a 39-yard strike that Boutte later called “MVP stuff.”
And the numbers? They’re starting to sound historic.
🔹 Seven straight games with 200+ passing yards and a 100+ passer rating — tying Patrick Mahomes and Dan Marino for the longest such streak ever by a QB age 23 or younger.
🔹 Five games with a 135+ passer rating in his team’s first eight — something no quarterback in NFL history has ever done.
🔹 On throws of 20+ yards this season, Maye has five touchdowns and just four incompletions.
Maye might be tuning out the noise, but the rest of the league can’t. Each week, he’s turning doubters into believers — and Patriots fans into dreamers.
After years of uncertainty since Tom Brady’s departure, Foxborough might have finally found its next star.
He’s not asking for chants. He’s not chasing awards. He’s just winning.
And that’s exactly why the MVP talk isn’t crazy anymore.
“They’ve been through it,” Maye said about the fans. “It’s been a journey.”
A journey that, suddenly, feels like it’s just getting started.
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