Sunday marked the first Sunday since August without football.
“But Tom, what about the Pro Bowl???”
…I stand by my lede.
With that said, New England’s 22-year-old quarterback was a participant in Sunday’s flag football game/skills event, as Drake Maye was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl roster after Bills quarterback Josh Allen opted out of making the trip to Orlando, FL.
So in stepped Maye, coming off a rookie season with lots of cool highlights for social media, but only one real win of his own to show for in 12 starts under center.
The last time a rookie QB from the Patriots made a Pro Bowl, it marked the beginning of the end for him being a competent starting quarterback at the professional level. So it’s understandable that New England fans would have their guard up with Maye receiving this distinction.
That, plus the “game” being as watered down as it is in 2025, the buzz for this event locally was almost non-existent.
So as a service to my fellow New Englanders, I took one for the team:
I DVR’d the Pro Bowl, and documented all things Drake Maye coming out of Sunday’s event at Camping World Stadium.
You’re welcome.
Here’s your 2025 Drake Maye Pro Bowl Notebook:
- Within the first five minutes of the broadcast, Maye was mentioned by AFC head coach Peyton Manning.
During a pregame interview with ESPN’s Marcus Spears, Manning was joking about playing Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow the entire game, saying that would be his key to victory on Sunday.
“From that statement with Joe, make sure Drake is all understanding that this is a big game for you, so Joe Burrow will be up, right?” Spears asked Manning after his joke about Burrow’s playing time.
“Absolutely,” said Manning. “Yeah, Drake’s got full understanding of that. He’s a rookie - he’s a rookie Pro Bowler, but he’s still a rookie. And like I said, this is Joe Burrow time, baby.”
“In other words - Drake, kick rocks!” said Spears before tossing to an interview between Eli Manning and ESPN’s Ryan Clark on the NFC sideline.
Oh man, we’re in for some big time laughs today, folks!
…we weren’t.
- After two full quarters of flag football, along with multiple skills competitions that included a punting contest that went into overtime (?), we FINALLY got our second glimpse of Maye on the day, as he started the second half for the AFC with his conference down 42-25 (yes, they were keeping score).
For everything I sat through to get to this point - from the awkward sideline interviews to the same five “Mic’d Up” moments they showed over and over again (they showed Ja’Marr Chase stealing Justin Jefferson sunglasses three different times) - I’m just getting out in front of this now and saying that I will not be doing this ever again. Unless the Pro Bowl reverts back to what it was in Hawaii back in the day, I just can’t do this. Apologies in advance.
- After making a joke about Maye having to handle a blitz from Cowboys kick returner KaVontae Turpin on his first play under center, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said Maye was going to have to pull out some “pretty magical stuff with his team down 17.”
“What a great opportunity for him to be here,” said Orlovsky. “I was down in the field with Drake pregame, and asked him about the week, and he was like, ‘Man, the best part is just me being around all these other guys that are so much older than me, so much more accomplished. Just being around - learning, sharing with all that.’”
“Yeah - that’s easily the best part of this week,” said ESPN’s Jason Kelce. “Especially your first time here. When you’re young, you see all these guys that you’ve looked up to your whole career in high school and college. You’re meeting lifelong legends. It’s a fantastic week where a bunch of guys get to commiserate together, and it’s just fantastic.”
With the game becoming glorified two-hand touch, and the skills competitions akin to the things you would do with your buddies on a boys trip, this is the most important thing Maye should be taking away from his long weekend in Orlando. He needs to realize that this Pro Bowl selection doesn’t mean he has already arrived, but instead that he’s in a position to eventually arrive. With current and former QBs on the sidelines like the Mannings and Burrow who have won at an extremely high level, the most important thing Maye could have gotten out of this weekend was any sort of knowledge from the proven stars at his position.
And from the sounds of Orlovsky’s pregame convo with Maye, it appears he recognizes that.
- On “4th & MID” (?) on his first drive, Maye threw a 25-yard pick-six to Cardinals safety Budda Baker to extend the NFC’s big lead. Maye got flustered with the blitz from Turpin (guess it wasn’t a joke), and tried to force a ball underneath to Chase. Baker jumped the route on a ball thrown low and took the ball to the house.
The man had a turnover problem throughout his rookie season, and it followed him to the Pro Bowl.
Couldn’t blame bad protection or bad talent around him this time!
- On his second possession under center on “4th & MID” (?), Maye found Chase in single coverage on a skinny post to the front right pylon for a 30-yard touchdown to make it a 48-31 game with 6:49 to go in the third quarter.
But that’s not the noteworthy part of this play.
“I’d love to see the Patriots bring somebody in that looks like Ja’Marr Chase for Drake Maye,” said Orlovsky before diagramming the touchdown toss.
“New England - sign someone like Ja’Marr Chase!” Orlovsky exclaimed.
“Well, there’s a guy [Chase] played with in Cincinnati that every single team that needs a receiver thinks might come play for them,” said ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, talking about free agent Bengals receiver Tee Higgins - a player who has been at the top of almost every Patriots fans’ wish lists for a very long time.
As the conversation about Higgins ensued, Maye skyed a ball incomplete to Raiders tight end Brock Bowers in the end zone on a two-point try.
“Tee Higgins next year’s gonna play for the Patriots, the Commanders, the Chargers, everybody,” Orlovsky joked, as Higgins is unequivocally the top free agent wideout on the market.
“Everybody wants him,” said Van Pelt. “Only so much money to go around in Cincinnati, and Chase is gonna get a ton.”
Do we think Maye was dropping hints to Orlovsky pregame about wanting to play with Higgins in 2025?
- On his third possession under center, Maye found Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a 20-yard touchdown on a post route at the top of the end zone. He wasn’t running full speed, and neither was the defense. This made the score 48-37 with 2:30 left in the third quarter.
Manning opted to have his offense go for two, and Maye was able to find Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith wide open at the back of the end zone on a successful toss-back throw to make it a 48-39 game (more on Smith in a bit).
He might have thrown a pick 6, but two straight touchdowns for Maye made this thing a ballgame!
(please know I that I wrote that last sentence tongue-in-cheek)
- Maye came out to start the fourth quarter for the AFC, with the score sitting at 58-39.
One play into that fourth quarter, the score changed. And it wasn’t in Maye’s favor.
For the second time in four possessions, Maye threw a pick six. This time, it was a seven-yard return by Vikings corner Byron Murphy, who jumped an inside route from Smith for the score. Maye was looking at the tight end the whole way, making it easy for Murphy to make the play.
That made it 64-39 NFC with 11:54 to go in the fourth quarter.
Turnover. Problem.
Peyton had seen enough from the Pats rookie. Maye was benched for the rest of the day in favor of Steelers QB Russell Wilson.
- This is the spot in the notebook where I intended to give you Maye’s stats on the day, but those don’t appear to be available anywhere. I guess an unserious event does not warrant serious stat counting. But it would’ve been fun to see it written out, I think.
All you need to know is Maye threw two pick-sixes to go along with two touchdowns.
- SIDENOTE - As I mentioned, former Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith was representing the Dolphins for the AFC on Sunday.
If that annoys you, that’s OK. You’re not alone, and you’re completely warranted.
In an ideal world, Maye won’t be playing in the Pro Bowl with regularity moving forward. Whether it’s because he’s tired after deep playoff runs (like Allen this year) or because he’s headed to the Super Bowl (like Mahomes every year), it’s usually a good sign for your team if your QB is opting out of Pro Bowl weekend.
Unfortunately for Patriots fans, I think fear that Maye is still years away from having a valid excuse to skip out on Orlando.