The 2025 NFL season has created many new Patriots fans across the league, particularly due to the rise of second-year quarterback Drake Maye. Although many outside New England are not exactly thrilled that the once-immortal team appears to have found their new franchise player, it's hard not to root for the humble North Carolina alum, which now includes even Tom Brady.
It's easy to assume that the longtime Patriots quarterback has a bias, and that would explain his admiration for Maye. However, since he retired, he hasn't spoken highly of many current players on the team, so his consistently positive comments about Maye are notable. Not to mention, he also holds some loyalty to the Buccaneers, with whom he won his seventh Super Bowl in 2020.
But now he's not trying to necessarily hide his fandom of Maye as much as other commentators might in his shoes. He made that most apparent in his most recent power rankings video, as he joined in on the inside joke nickname for the Patriots quarterback from online fans.
👀 https://t.co/JGPlRlU7MI pic.twitter.com/WR9VXrGQc2
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) November 19, 2025
Tom Brady can no longer hide his fandom of Drake Maye after another big-time win
Besides praising the current 9-2 Patriots team after their latest win over the Jets from last Thursday night, Brady made sure to name-drop Maye while placing the team in the 4th spot on his current power rankings after Week 11.
He even got in on the fun that was started by Patriots fans in how he referenced the quarterback.
Even Tom Brady is using Drake “Drake Maye” Maye 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/1SAnOPVXh9
— Drake Maye Lover (@drakemayeloverr) November 19, 2025
If that doesn't solidify his fandom of Drake Maye, it's hard to say what would.
It's clear that the impressive second season of Maye is catching on from those close and away from Foxboro in a way that not many could have projected before this season began. While many believed the 23-year-old would have a jump in production from his rookie season, there wasn't much belief that he would progress to the level he has through 11 weeks.
He is now in the middle of the MVP conversation, along with some of the best quarterbacks in the league over the last few years, which is not a feat many in his position have, if ever, accomplished. And he continues to break franchise and league records every week, another aspect that cannot be overlooked when looking back on this season.
Maye will now hope to lead the Patriots to a 10-2 record this weekend, as they head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals. Although they'll be down their starting quarterback and their number one receiver, it will be a big test to see just how good New England is.
With a win, they can almost guarantee a playoff run for the first time since the 2021 season, furthering the belief that Robert Kraft, Mike Vrabel, and Co. made all the right decisions with how they handled this offseason.