Drake Maye has not shied away from sharing his affinity for Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers over the years.
Despite now playing for the team that was led by Tom Brady for two decades, Maye has acknowledged that he was a big fan of Rodgers growing up — especially during the future Hall of Famer’s prime years with the Packers.
Even after New England’s loss to Rodgers and the Jets in Week 3 of the 2024 season, Maye declared that he was “waiting for the GOAT” as the then-New York QB was wrapping up a postgame interview.
Maye will have another opportunity to face off against his childhood idol on Sunday when the Patriots host Rodgers and the Steelers at Gillette Stadium.
“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. “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’s admiration of Rodgers goes beyond his production on the gridiron, as he admitted that he’s mimicked aspects of his game and mechanics even before his high-school career.
“Shoot, it’s hard to emulate the way he spins it. I mean, he spins it with the best of ’em,” Maye said. “Shoot, I remember in eighth grade, I was playing baseball and different sports. I looked up grip, how to hold a football. So I looked up Aaron Rodgers’ grip and I’ve had the grip ever since.”
While Maye’s strong arm and ability to gain yards on the ground has led some to compare him to Josh Allen, the Patriots QB said that he still looks over Rodgers’ game tape in order to pick up pointers about how best to conduct an offense and keep defenders guessing.
“Just little things,” Maye said. “I think his play fakes are unbelievable. I think the way he gets defenders — he got someone last week on a play fake. And just his intensity. His cadence is one of the best in the league. I’m not gonna get that this early in my career, but try to work towards it. He’s so good at drawing guys offsides and taking advantage of big plays.
“Like I said, special talent, moving guys, moving defenders and throwing into tight windows. It’s pretty cool to watch.”
Maye might be star struck on Sunday when Rodgers is out on the field, but New England’s QB is also looking to build some momentum after submitting his best performance as a pro during the Patriots’ Week 2 win over the Dolphins.
“We just felt like we left a lot out there,” Maye said of New England’s response on offense after a lackluster showing in Week 1 against the Raiders. “I think we, like I said, came with some fire in Week 2. You’ve got to keep that mindset.
“It starts out here in practice. It starts this week. Just bring it, realizing that in this league, you’ve got to bring it every week. It’s a new team. We’re playing at home in front of our own fans, so try to get one. It’s a new week. We’ve had different success this past week, and just got to try to emulate.”