During a recent episode of ESPN's First Take, 13-year NFL veteran and former New England Patriots defensive back Jason McCourty listed off his top five NFL teams at this point in the season.
Coming in at second place on the Super Bowl LIII champion's rankings were the Patriots, a ranking which McCourty said had a lot to do with the play of their quarterback, Drake Maye.
.@JasonMcCourty shares his top five NFL teams after Week 17 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aATKCxPSiI
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 30, 2025
McCourty is the latest former Patriots player to come to the young quarterback's defense for all the right reasons.
Jason McCourty defends Drake Maye against "the schedule" narrative
As McCourty advocated for Maye to be named the 2025 NFL Most Valuable Player, he defended the Patriots' signal caller against the most common knock on his candidacy for this award: New England's weak schedule.
Though Maye leads the league in QBR (76.5), passer rating (112.9), and completion percentage (71.7%), while also posting the fourth most passing yards (4,203) and tied-third most passing touchdowns (30), the Patriots' strength of schedule (.383) is the lowest in the NFL. McCourty, however, made it clear he doesn't believe that last point should work against Maye's case for the MVP award.
"Now, don't give me that bull c**p about 'We don't know because their strength of schedule, they haven't played anyone.'; When they put bad teams on your schedule and you keep blowing them out, then have some belief in the team ... with Drake Maye and his superstar TikTok wife baking you some goods, they are a really good football team."
Drake Maye has even responded to the schedule criticism
Like McCourty, Maye has also rebuked the notion that New England's statistically weaker opponents should diminish the team's success this season, telling MassLive's Mark Daniels that it shouldn't matter in a league loaded with the world's top football talent.
"We play in the National Football League. Every team’s got great players. They get paid a lot of money. So, it’s not like we’re playing, shoot, Foxborough High School down the road. We play who’s on our schedule. We can’t control that. Just trying to go out there and try to win. A lot of these teams that we do play are good, and they’re in the National Football League for a reason."
Another former Patriots' player further promotes Drake Maye's MVP candidacy
In the same week Jason McCourty voiced his support for Maye's MVP campaign on First Take, his twin brother, Devin McCourty, a 13-year member of the Patriots, appeared on ESPN's Get Up to do the same.
Like his brother, Devin also refuted the idea that the Patriots' schedule this year should prevent Maye from receiving the award.
"We continue to try to knock him down because of who they played and all that other nonsense. Drake Maye’s not the one who put the schedule together. You put them out there, he knocks them all down."
The three-time Super Bowl champion also addressed how Maye stacks up against his fellow MVP front-runner, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
While Stafford leads Maye in both passing yards (4,438) and passing touchdowns (42), his struggles in a Week 17 loss to the now 7-9 Atlanta Falcons (22-38 on passing attempts for 269 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions) shifted the awards race in the New England gunslinger's favor for some observers, including D-Mac.
"I think [Maye's] ascension in year two, what he’s been able to do with [Patriots offensive coordinator] Josh McDaniels, and the way Matthew Stafford performed last night now to me makes Drake Maye the MVP favorite."
Whether or not Maye ultimately brings home the MVP trophy this year still remains to be seen, but the McCourty twins have given him their vote of confidence.