Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) catches the ball for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images David Butler II-Imagn Images

Drake Maye Reacts To Patriots WR's Incredible Touchdown Grab

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Ethan Hurwitz | Last updated Jan 23, 2026 9:00 AM ET

When New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte beat Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. down the right sideline last week, Drake Maye looked in his direction the whole way.

When Boutte soon nabbed the pass with one outstretched hand for one of the greatest postseason catches in NFL history, the entire population inside Gillette Stadium erupted. That score pushed New England's lead to 28-16, giving the home crowd their second-straight playoff win to cheer for.

A few days after the team's Divisional round win over Houston, Maye had time to collect his thoughts on one of the best catches the Patriots have seen in recent memory.

"What a catch. What a catch," Maye telling reporters about seeing the grab in real time. "Time and time again, he's made big-time catches, and he deserves more chances. I'm looking forward to playing with him every time I go out there. He's made some great catches on some deep balls and some intermediate routes."

Boutte has quickly become the Patriots' top guy when it comes to deep routes and finding was to take the top off the defense. It's all too similar to Maye's first career touchdown pass, the same route to the same player against the same exact defense. This time, it was just in a higher stakes situation.

Drake Maye Was Impressed By His Teammate's Touchdown

After the touchdown, Maye said he went over to his teammate to see if he actually caught the ball, or if it just slipped past the officiating crew. The MVP candidate said that Boutte made the snag.

"I went over to the sideline, and I always ask them if they catch it," Maye said. "They always say yes, whether they catch it or not, but it was pretty cool to see that."

On the ESPN broadcast, the catch was as impressive as ever. After the final horn sounded, a new angle of the touchdown emerged on social media. NFL Films released an angle from the sideline, with the whipping snow adding a perfect background element to the touchdown.

It caught the attention of the thousands who saw it online, including Maye.

A Boutte Beauty ❄️@Patriots | @InsidetheNFL pic.twitter.com/EmdDn83DyR
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) January 19, 2026

"I think whoever had a different shot of it in the snow, with him making a one-handed catch, it may have been NFL Films or somebody, but it was a sweet catch and a big time play for us," Maye said.

Snow just makes football better, especially when it's caught on camera.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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