Did Tom Brady have help from above when he guided Buccaneers to win over Patriots in Gillette Stadium return?

Quarterback Tom Brady famously guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a thrilling 19-17 win over the New England Patriots to cap off his first visit to Gillette Stadium as an opposing player back in October 2021. 

The 2025 Patriots are now preparing to play at the Buccaneers this coming Sunday. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, second-year New England signal-caller Drake Maye suggested he has learned that Brady may have had a little help from above when he faced the Patriots four years ago. 

Just another time the football gods smiled on Tom Brady

"The trainers in the training room the other day were saying Tom had a drive that put them ahead," Maye said about that matchup, per Karen Guregian of MassLive. "And it was raining all game. And the rain stopped when Tom went out there for the game-winning drive. Almost like the football gods were with him." 

As Scott Smith noted for the Buccaneers' website, Brady picked up 31 yards on the first play of what became a game-winning drive thanks to a pass interference penalty. He later converted a 3rd-and-6 that helped put Ryan Succop in position to kick a 48-yard field goal with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. The Patriots had an opportunity to produce one last answer, but Nick Folk missed a 56-yard field goal with under a minute left to play. 

"It was a good battle," Maye added. "You remember games like that, the comeback game. It was cool." 

Drake Maye reacts to becoming a cult hero among Patriots fans

Maye also mentioned how Patriots fans cheered Brady when he first stepped out of the tunnel on that October night, but then booed the seven-time Super Bowl champion throughout the contest. As for Maye, he has become quite popular among Boston sports supporters: