Drake Maye and the New England Patriots went from four Super Bowl wins to a one-year turnover. After an MVP-caliber season, the quarterback is aiming to return to the big stage.
Of the last 10 Super Bowl losers, half missed the playoffs the following season, including the last two (San Francisco, Kansas City). Only three teams in history have lost the Super Bowl and come back to win the Lombardi Trophy the following season – 1970 Dallas Cowboys, 1971 Miami Dolphins, 2017 New England Patriots.
In an interview at The Masters this weekend with his wife, Ann Michael, Maye said he understands how difficult it is to get to the top of the mountain.
“I think that’s the biggest thing about it: It’s humbling. You’ve got to go back to work. When you’re that close and within reach, you want that feeling,” Maye said, via the Pro Football Network. “Everybody says, ‘You’ll be back.’ It’s not that easy. So we’ve got to get back to work and I’m looking forward to trying to prove to myself that I can come back and just have one more year to get a chance to do that.”
Maye was off last season, leading the NFL with a completion percentage of 72% and an average of 8.9 yards per attempt. He finished with 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He unimaginably carried the Pats offense to the Super Bowl.
After the breakout campaign, Maye wants to double down.
“Everybody has the same goal at this time of year: to get back into this game,” he said. “I think knowing that we were there and had a chance to do it just makes it that much more fulfilling for me to be able to accomplish it.”