For years, Patriots fans rolled their eyes through the Tom Brady commentary. He was mainly a "system quarterback," of course, with mediocre NFL traits, who was far less talented than guys like Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers.
By the time Brady won his third NFL MVP award in 2017, a season that ended with his eighth Super Bowl berth in 17 years as the Patriots starter, all the rhetoric magically disappeared into the ether.
Brady’s legacy no longer needs to be debated. But it’s already begun for Drake Maye, who’s about to put the finishing touches on a season that’s felt eerily Brady-like. The 23-year-old breakout star leads the NFL in both completion percentage and yards per completion, and it’s the latter stat — the downfield passing prowess — that Brady recently lauded during a guest appearance on The Herd with host Colin Cowherd.
It’s hardly a secret that, entering Week 18, the race for the NFL’s 2025 MVP award is down to two players: Maye and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Maye should be the clear leader in the clubhouse after his near perfect game last week against the New York Jets: 90.5 percent completions, 256 yards, five touchdowns and no turnovers; his QB rating in that game was 157.0, and his QBR was a record 99.8.
Still, there’s a large segment of Stafford supporters in the NFL world, enough that the MVP award feels closer to a coin flip than a shoo-in for Maye entering Week 18. Even with Stafford’s ugly, three-interception performance last week against the Atlanta Falcons, the crusade against Maye and the Patriots’ easy schedule has held firm enough to keep the 37-year-old in play to win the award for the first time in his likely Hall of Fame career.
Cowherd’s not buying what the Cam Newton’s of the world have been selling, though. He views Maye as the clear No. 1 quarterback in football entering the final week of the regular season.
As for why folks are still struggling to fully embrace Maye as the guy? Cowherd gave his take on that subject this week, and he might’ve nailed it.
Colin Cowherd explains not so fun part about Drake Maye's rise with the Patriots
It’s impossible for Patriots fans not to compare Maye to Brady, as ridiculous as that may sound. Maye wasn’t even born yet when Brady won his first Super Bowl with the Patriots during their whirlwind 2001 season.
But some of the same criticism thrown Brady’s way has been recycled and spit back out at Maye this year. While clearly operating with a weaker supporting cast than Stafford, who’s surrounded by a pair of All-Pro wide receivers in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and a strong rushing attack, Maye continues to lose points because of the Patriots’ historically easy schedule.
He’s also getting docked style points, in Cowherd’s opinion.
“I always thought it was easier with Mahomes and Lamar Jackson to be, stylistically, fans. Like, Lamar, the words you would use, dynamic, fast, explosive, yeah that feels like an MVP. Or Mahomes, left-handed throws, biggest arm in the game, adlibbing off script. With Drake Maye it’s structural. He plays within rhythm. He’s very accurate. He’s durable. He’s tough. He’s an excellent leader. He gets the ball out quickly. It’s hard to embrace that stuff. It doesn’t feel as great.”
Drake Maye is now the favorite to win the MVP. Is he the best QB in the NFL? @colincowherd weighs in on the Patriots 2nd year QB's great season pic.twitter.com/hHoxmm9eMa
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) December 30, 2025
This is the part that should terrify all the Patriots haters: Maye hasn’t only been the NFL’s best QB in his first full season as a starter, but he’s been so consistent that the masses find him boring.
Apparently, elite pocket presence and unprecedented touch and ball placement down the field isn’t exciting enough for fans of the NFL. That’s OK, though. Fans of the Patriots have been down this exact road before, and if it ends up even being a fraction of the last ride, the results on the field over time will more than take care of themselves.