Perhaps one of the most laughable concerns surrounding Drake Maye coming out of the draft was the potential of his age negatively impacting his natural leadership capabilities. Because he was the youngest quarterback of the class, entering the draft at just 21 years old, experts were worried it would play a role in his attempt to lead an offense in the NFL.
While that is a logical concern on the surface, the rookie has proven on numerous occasions that his age is not a problem, and he already possesses the instincts of a leader despite his age.
We've seen plenty of examples on and off the field so far, even more so since he was named the starter in Week 6. Besides taking accountability for any mistakes, whether they were his or not, he's taken over the offense and will put the team on his back when needed. He isn't shy about addressing his shortcomings or owning up to bad plays, but he's also not afraid to send a message to his teammates after another rough game.
That's exactly what he did after their latest loss to the Dolphins, and it couldn't have been a more perfect message to share.
Drake Maye sounds like a seasoned veteran after the Patriots Week 12 loss
Despite falling to a 3-9 record with plenty of blame to go around, Maye continued to take his fair share of blame for another loss on Sunday. But with that, he wanted to tell his teammates how much he doesn't like losing, and because of that, he sounded like a seasoned veteran in the process.
Drake Maye on how he's handling the struggles the Patriots are having this season
— Sophie Weller (@sophieewellerr) November 24, 2024
"It's tough. Any time you are losing, I think -- like I've always said, I hate losing more than I really like to win. Losing sucks, and I think just -- I told some guys, just remember this feeling.…
"I told some guys, just remember this feeling. Remember this feeling of really getting our butts whooped today, and it's only up from here."
That is exactly the kind of attitude any team would be lucky to have from their future franchise quarterback. The Patriots are lucky to have Maye in this position and are fortunate he has such a good head on his shoulders because it would be so easy for him to be swallowed into a hole of misery with all he's had to deal with in his young career.
This could inevitably make his teammates play harder for the rest of the season instead of checking out because there's nothing left to play for, and it could be great long-term, as the team will need something positive to help convince free agents to sign with them in the years to come.
Fans and the Patriots wanted Maye's maturity and leadership out of Mac Jones, but we never got that. That makes it even more crucial that the team does right by the rookie and puts him in a better situation in 2025 and beyond to ensure they don't ruin an impressive player who could hold it down at quarterback for a long time.