Family-Like Relationship Between Mason Rudolph and Drake Maye

Mason Rudolph has known the Maye family his entire life, and the bonds go both ways. Their families took trips together, supported each other's kids in every sport they played and made sure the bond never faded.

It was the kind of friendship in which distance never mattered, and where the next generation easily slipped into the same paths their dads had created decades earlier at UNC. By the time Drake Maye started rising through the high school and college ranks, Rudolph had already become a trusted voice for him, someone who knew the pressures that come with trying to reach the top.

Roots That Go Back to UNC

The story starts with Mark Maye and Brett Rudolph sharing a dorm room and developing a friendship that lasted long after their playing days. Once they started families of their own, that connection only grew stronger. Their kids grew up side by side, competing, joking and pushing each other the same way their dads did. Backyard basketball games between Mason and Luke Maye became legendary. The families cheered for each other at games, shared vacations and built a support system that followed them into adulthood.

Those years built a foundation that helped shape both quarterbacks. When Rudolph was stepping into major college games for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Maye family was still there cheering him on. When Drake Maye started to climb toward becoming a top quarterback with the Tar Heels, Rudolph was one of the people encouraging him and giving advice about the process. It was a relationship built not out of convenience but out of years of genuine loyalty.

Why The Bond Still Matters Today

Now that both quarterbacks are in the NFL during the 2025 season, their shared background stands out even more. With so much attention placed on how young quarterbacks handle pressure, adjust to systems and develop leadership skills, it is easy to see how a long-term mentor can make a real difference.

Drake Maye has often been praised for his poise and maturity, qualities that stem from both his athletic background and the people who have been around him since childhood. Maybe has thrown for 2,836 yards and 20 touchdowns with just five interceptions for the New England Patriots so far this season. The Patriots are getting ready for a Week 12 tilt at the Cincinnati Bengals. New England has won eight straight games and leads the AFC East by two games.

Rudolph came in for Aaron Rodgers at halftime of the Pittsburgh Steelers' win in Week 11 and may get the start in Chicago against the Bears if Rodgers cannot play due to a left wrist injury. The 30-year-old understands the highs and lows of the position and has always been someone the Maye family can lean on. Rudolph has been in the NFL since 2019.

Quick Look At Their Longtime Circle

• Mason Rudolph and Drake Maye grew up together in North Carolina
• Their fathers were college roommates at UNC
• The families took vacations together and often attended each other’s games
• Rudolph mentored Drake as he rose through high school and college football