We are pretty far-removed from the New England Patriots having to worry about finding the next Tom Brady or even coming up with an answer after the Mac Jones era seemed to flop. Now, the Patriots' franchise quarterback is truly cementing himself as "the guy," regardless of any past names who have come through the building.
Drake Maye is here. He has arrived. He is the future of this franchise, and everybody in that locker room knows it. With a signature win over the division rival Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football, Maye continues to inspire belief not only within the fan base, but also among his closest teammates.
After the game on Monday night, wide receiver Stefon Diggs was asked about Maye and the comparison he's received to another one of his former quarterbacks, Josh Allen. Diggs acknowledged the comparison, but also offered some high, individual praise for his current quarterback.
"I feel like it's a hell of a comparison to be compared to Josh Allen, but as you come into your own, Drake Maye has to be Drake Maye," Diggs told the media.
Stefon Diggs continues to change the narrative while helping develop his younger Patriots teammates
Everyone knows the narrative surrounding Diggs before his arrival New England. Shoot, even as recently as this past summer, there were off-field questions surrounding the polarizing wideout.
Yet, as soon as this season kicked off, Diggs has proven to be a new man (Vikings and Bills fans might vehemently disagree).
But Diggs' praise of Maye isn't the only evidence we have of the receiver's leadership on display. All night long on the live broadcast, Diggs was shown encouraging teammates and being there for his guys. It was obvious that he's taken a huge step forward,
"I was just so proud of him coming in here and leading the team," Diggs said of Maye. "Being a young quarterback can be hard sometimes and that's why you have a supporting cast. Running backs making plays, receivers making plays, and letting him know you got his back. I was just super proud of him."
The critics might say it's easy for Diggs to praise Maye and be a good teammate while the targets are coming his way, but we'll let them talk. Right now, the important thing is, the Patriots look like they've turned a corner. They have their franchise quarterback, and he has a go-to wide receiver that's proving he's far from done in this league.