Drake Maye leading the Patriots to a 5-2 record to start the 2025 season has put him in the MVP conversation. The Patriots quarterback’s growth has been on display through the first seven games between his 14 touchdowns to two interceptions and his overall leadership.
Maye also sits in the top 10 in passing yards (1,744), completion percentage (75.2%), yards per attempt (8.6) and passer rating (116.4), while he continues to put his name into the franchise history books surpassing names like Tom Brady.
What he’s done up until this point has former Patriots offensive lineman Damien Woody believing Maye is a top-five quarterback in the NFL. But another former Patriots player isn’t so quick to agree.
“You’re tripping, son,” Cam Newton told Woody on “First Take.” “Is he playing good football? Yes, he definitely is. But top five in the NFL? That’s a little angry.”
Newton went on to explain his reasoning, noting it was more about the competition Maye and the Patriots have faced through seven weeks rather than Maye’s performance on the field.
“Nothing against Drake Maye, because I’m a fan. If I’ve never been a fan of any young quarterback, he’s my favorite. But I don’t think he’s reached the limit where, ‘now this is a person that you really have to consider in the top-five.,’” he said. “These performances, if we have to state the obvious, came by way of the Tennessee Titans.
“And the game that was really impressive was when he played against Buffalo,” Newton continued. “And that’s not to discredit anything that he’s doing. I’m just saying for him to get labeled a top-five quarterback, he has to do it versus well and capable competition on a consistent basis.”
Maye went 21-of-23 for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 7 win over the Titans. He also added 62 yards on the ground with eight carries, and didn’t turn the ball over. Maye also set a new franchise record for the highest single-game completion percentage — with a minimum of 20 passes — by completing 91.3% of his passes.
The QB threw for at least 200 yards in New England’s last three games and hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 3.
There is still a lot of football left to be played for Newton to consider Maye in his top five quarterbacks. If he wants to see the 23-year-old continue his success against “well and capable competition,” Week 10 might be his best bet when New England plays the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Before thenn, the Patriots host the Cleveland Browns in Week 8 before welcoming the Atlanta Falcons to Gillette Stadium in Week 9.
