The New England Patriots headed into the 2024 NFL season with a new head coach and a new starting quarterback, with the storied franchise making the decision to head in a new direction by parting ways with Bill Belichick and Mac Jones in favor of Jerod Mayo and Drake Maye.

Although the Patriots got off to a strong start by pulling off the upset against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Week 1, the team has struggled ever since, with New England now leaning on their rookie quarterback in the second half of the season.

Even though Maye has shown that he’s raw and needs some polish to reach his potential under center in New England, he has also shown flashes of brilliance, as he’s drawn comparisons to Josh Allen as of late because of his ability to make plays with his legs as well as his arm.

Coming into Week 10, the Patriots had a formidable opponent to face on the road at Soldier Field, taking on Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, but Maye and company were able to pull off the upset, leading to a special moment for the rookie to start his postgame press conference where he praised New England’s defense via Savage Sports.

“Phones down, phone’s down. Notepads down. We’re clapping up the defense. Clap it up, clap it up. Somebody else clap up. There we go,” Maye said.

There’s no question that Maye is a team-first player, which bodes well for his success on the NFL level, as he’ll quickly win over his teammates and become the undisputed leader in the locker room.

It’ll be interesting to see where his career goes from here as he has shown signs of a player that can become a star in this league and exactly what the Patriots need under center.