Does Patriots' Drake Maye feel pressure to become the next Tom Brady?

Even before the New England Patriots made quarterback Drake Maye the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, some openly wondered if he possessed the physical abilities and leadership qualities needed to follow in the footsteps of franchise legend and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady. 

During a Monday appearance on Boston sports radio station WEEI, Maye was asked if he feels any pressure related to the fact that he's now seen as the successor to the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

"I wouldn’t say pressure," Maye said, as shared by Lauren Campbell of MassLive. "I think it’s just appreciation for what he did, what he did here, how he played the position, how he loved to win and wanted to win, and how they did win. I think that’s the biggest part. And I think definitely just watching old tape of him with some of the same concepts of how he did things is pretty cool to watch. But I wouldn’t say pressure. I was drafted maybe five years after he left here. So I wouldn’t say really any pressure."

Brady famously guided the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships from 2000 through the 2019 season. Back in the spring of 2021, a New England regime led by Bill Belichick made signal-caller Mac Jones a first-round draft pick. While Jones earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie, he then flopped across back-to-back campaigns before he was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in March 2024.

Last fall, longtime Patriots center and team captain David Andrews compared Maye to Brady after the then-rookie met with offensive players following what he felt was a poor practice. More recently, Maye has discussed reviewing film of Brady's work in the system run by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was brought back to the organization by first-year head coach Mike Vrabel this past winter. 

Somewhat interestingly, Vrabel has made it known throughout the offseason that Maye "can't take days off" as it pertains to "leading this football team." Maye seems to have gotten that message. 

"Bring it every day," Maye added during the WEEI segment about his behind-the-scenes role as New England's QB1, per Campbell. "When the team or the offense is lagging around, it’s my job to bring them up."

Maye is now tasked with ensuring his offense will be ready to go when New England opens the upcoming regular season with a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 7. As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Patriots as three-point favorites for that contest.