FOXBOROUGH – Drake Maye makes no secret of being one of Aaron Rodgers biggest fans.
One of his earliest football memories was of Rodgers winning the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 2011.
The Patriots quarterback was nine years old at the time, and just starting to get into his football journey. He explained his admiration for the current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, who he’ll be squared off against Sunday.
“You get to the age of starting to really love watching football. He won the Super Bowl, and I was probably just watching my first Super Bowl, and they won it,” Maye said Wednesday of Rodgers and the Packers. “He’s very talented throwing the football, and I think he’s got some swagger to him. He’s special how he throws the football. I remember watching it last year when Jacoby (Brissett) was playing, and (the Patriots) were playing at the Jets. I was watching him warm up.
“It’s something you don’t take for granted, someone who throws the football that way.”
Maye said he’s tried to emulate Rodgers, because “he spins it with the best of them.”
Maye in fact, learned one of the basics from the Steelers great.
“Shoot I remember in eighth grade, I was playing baseball and different sports,” Maye said. “I looked up how to grip a football, so I looked up Aaron Rodgers grip, and I’ve had the grip ever since.”
Maye said he’s studied other elements of Rodgers game trying to get a leg up.
“Just little things. I think his play fakes are unbelievable,” Maye said. “His intensity, his cadence is one of the best in the league. I’m not going to get that this early in my career, but I’ll work towards it.
“He’s so good at drawing guys offsides, taking advantage of big plays. I think he’s a special talent. Moving guys, moving defenders, throwing into tight windows. It’s great to watch.”
Maye met Rodgers last year and spoke with him briefly when the Patriots were in New York playing the Jets. He wasn’t able to add onto to that conversation when the Jets came to Foxborough. Maye suffered a concussion in that game.