Few practices turn the tables quite like watching your Week 1 opponent raise the banner they won by defeating your team and destroying your dreams of football glory. That’s where Maye and (most of) the Patriots will find themselves, on Wednesday, Sept. 9 to kick off the new campaign.
When considering preparations for the start of the season, some might understandably point to Super Bowl LX as the ultimate game movie to reminisce about. Others would suggest that an extra season of roster and coaching turnover would render that tape useless. The pain of defeat may also prevent some Patriots from familiarizing themselves with the footage.
Not Maye. He is willing to stoop to emotional harm if it gives him an advantage.
“I think you’ll definitely check it out,” Maye said. “You know, for me, on the biggest stage and a big game, and I had a lot of games that I wish I could have had again. I definitely watched it, and at such a young point in my career where I can still learn so much. And for the first time playing this defense. So you can learn things and learn about the game.
“So, I think there’s definitely some things that, maybe a throw that I maybe miss, or now I want to watch it again. But that’s definitely the game, I think you learn so much from, mistakes that you make yourself.”
Maye will get a great chance to prove he’s grown from the loss come Week 1. Seattle’s twelfth man will be happy to greet him.