It would be fair to say that when the Patriots fell to rock bottom after Tom Brady left for the Bucs and Bill Belichick was fired, every team in the NFL couldn't have been happier. Finally, the mighty had fallen, and the AFC was more open than it had been in years, beyond the rising Chiefs, of course.
Seeing New England struggle to find the right coaches and coordinators, on top of compiling a list of failed experiments at quarterback, only strengthened that feeling, and for the most part, fans of their biggest rivals hoped it would be another decade or more before the Patriots became relevant again.
So when they were fortunate enough to land a top-3 draft pick for a highly touted quarterback class, it was the worst-case scenario for all those hoping the Patriots would stay at the bottom of the barrel, especially since they were able to get Drake Maye, a young and slightly inexperienced player with a high ceiling.
That, coupled with watching him have an MVP-caliber season in Year 2 and taking his team to the Super Bowl with an entirely new coaching staff and mostly made-over roster, only made the situation worse.
Although it might be bad news for the NFL, it's exactly where the Patriots and their fans are most comfortable, and that's now starting to catch on with analysts and insiders, including Adam Schefter, whose latest admission proves that the Patriots are indeed back.
Drake Maye's bright future is putting the Patriots back on the map
When discussing the current state of the Patriots and their reignited chances to repeat last season's success last month, Schefter put it plain and simple when looking ahead to their long-term future for one reason: Drake Maye.
The insider expressed strong confidence in the quarterback, saying that as long as the Patriots have him under center, they will always be a team capable of a real playoff run.
"As long as [Drake Maye] is playing quarterback, that team ALWAYS is going to have a chance to make a real playoff run."
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 21, 2026
How far will Drake Maye and A.J. Brown take the Patriots next season? 👀 pic.twitter.com/VGs6XZxuXY
Some might feel this kind of take is presumptuous, given how the 23-year-old played in the playoffs and the Super Bowl, neither of which is memorable in a good way.
However, it wasn't a fluke that he was one vote shy of being named league MVP, losing only to Matthew Stafford, which is a compliment in itself. He had one of the most impressive second-year runs in recent history, and although many are chalking it up to an easy schedule, you still can't take away what he did given the circumstances he was put into.
Now that the roster is much improved from last year, it's easy to believe the Patriots can accomplish a lot this season, too. Their schedule is significantly tougher, but as Schefter said, Maye is the difference-maker and keeps the Patriots in contention.
It's a lot of pressure for a young quarterback, but his performance has proven he can handle it, and it certainly warrants the kind of attention he's getting. How high the Patriots can soar will fall directly on Maye's shoulders, and the plan is back to being playoffs or bust.
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