It wasn't pretty, but the star second-year quarterback Drake Maye and the New England Patriots are Super Bowl LX-bound. They struggled offensively, but he delivered in crunch time, and they persevered to take down the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
Maye didn't play up to the MVP-caliber standard we've become accustomed to this season against the Broncos.
However, he managed the game well when Mother Nature threw a curveball at everyone in Empire Field at Mile High with a flurry of snow. His legs proved the difference, though if you ask him, the Patriots' devoted fan base propelled New England to this point.
During the Lamar Hunt Trophy presentation, Maye gave Pats Nation some love.
Drake Maye sends appreciation to Patriots fans after punching ticket to Super Bowl LX
Conditions in Denver quickly went from tenable to unbearable late in the second half. There was so much snow on the ground that the hash marks on the field became incredibly difficult to see. Yet, devoted Patriots supporters sat through it all, and Maye couldn't be more appreciative.
"Shoutout to the [Patriots] fans," Maye told CBS Sports' Jim Nantz. "We've got the best fans in the nation, and we're going back to the Super Bowl. Let's go."
No following has been more fortunate than the Foxborough faithful. No club in league history has reached the Big Game more than the Patriots (11). They and the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only franchises to hoist the Lombardi Trophy six times.
Nevertheless, there was a strong Patriots presence in a weather-impacted 10-7 slugfest road victory. The New England contingent of the crowd that has already climbed the highest mountaintop time and again didn't have to show up and show out. It speaks to the loyalty of one of the most storied organizations in North American sports.
New England has dominated for roughly the past three decades, so they have admirers everywhere. Patriots enthusiasts evidently travel well, too, and will need to continue to when the team plays in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8.
The Patriots return to football's grandest stage for the first time since the 2018 campaign. Maye sent a war cry to folks in New England to react accordingly and relish the moment.