Two-time Super Bowl champion rips Cam Newton over takes about Patriots, Drake Maye

If nothing else, retired NFL quarterback Cam Newton attracted the attention he seemingly desired when he said during an ESPN appearance that he felt the New England Patriots have "fool’s gold written all over them." 

Before the team improved to 10-2, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye shared that he didn't "even know what show [Newton is] on" and thinks some media personalities "get paid to make remarks and make certain comments." ESPN's Stephen A. Smith later called Maye a "liar."

During the latest edition of "The Patriots Report" program, former New England wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Hogan addressed the Maye-ESPN kerfuffle.

Does Drake Maye have Cam Newton, Stephen A. Smith "in their feelings?"

"At what point did it become just the norm to try to tear down a (23)-year-old kid who is now in his second year in the league? Didn’t really have an opportunity (as a rookie) and was not on a great team," Hogan said about Maye, per Chris Mason of MassLive. "But now he’s having some success and 'no, no, no, let’s just tear him down.' Because he didn’t — 'I don’t even know what show he’s on,' and that really got all these guys all hot in their feelings about it." 

Per Meghan Ottolini of Audacy, Maye insisted during a Monday appearance on Boston sports radio station WEEI that he "didn't try to mean it disrespectfully" regarding his response to Newton. Hogan seems to believe Maye was telling the truth when the signal-caller suggested he wasn't aware Newton sometimes works as an on-air talent for ESPN.

"He’s got a 10-2 football team," Hogan said about Maye. "He’s been having some success. He’s not watching 'First Take' on Monday or Tuesday mornings." 

Maye has been quite busy with football-related matters since the start of September. Pro Football Reference stats show he ended Week 12 ranked second in the NFL among qualified players with a 72.7 adjusted QBR on the season. He's third with a 110.7 passer rating, fourth with 21 passing touchdowns and first with 3,130 total passing yards. 

As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had Maye second among the betting favorites at +200 odds to win the regular-season Most Valuable Player Award. 

Cam Newton knows how NFL quarterbacks spend their in-season weeks

"The kid is going to bed at 8:00," Hogan continued. "He’s waking up at whatever time. He’s watching film and preparing for a game. Cam, you know this. You prepared. You did all of this stuff. Maybe you focused on some of this stuff here and there, but you were one of the best players in the league. You didn’t care about any of that nonsense." 

Maye and Co. will attempt to ignore all outside nonsense as the Patriots prepare to host the New York Giants (2-10) this coming Monday. As of Wednesday afternoon, ESPN BET had New England as a 7.5-point favorite for that contest.