Super Bowl week is always chock full of bad athlete interviews, pushing random products on radio and TV while dodging interesting questions from hosts.
So when there’s actual nuggets to glean, it’s worth noting.
In steps Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who spent the day on Tuesday promoting a ping pong tournament he’ll be playing in on Wednesday night on Complex’s YouTube channel (7:00 p.m. ET for those interested).
Coming off his first career appearance in the Pro Bowl, it was only natural that hosts wanted to ask how the rookie fared in an environment brimming with superstars.
Was he using his long weekend in Orlando as a recruiting pitch for the Patriots?
That’s where FanDuel TV’s Kay Adams went with Maye when he joined her on Up & Adams on Tuesday.
“OK, you’re down there at the Pro Bowl, $120 million in cap space - how much recruiting was going on with some of these Pro Bowl free agents?” asked Adams.
“No, I definitely think a little bit,” said Maye. “I definitely got to know some of the guys. Get to know - tell them a little bit about Boston, about Foxborough, about Gillette a little bit. Told them about the fan base.
“I think it’s definitely time to get to know some guys, and, you know, let them know that the Pats got some things to make some moves this offseason.”
Good job, kid! That’s how you maximize a seemingly useless weekend on the field! Help get your team better!
While he didn’t get into specifics with Adams on which players he was pitching, we got a window into some of that with NFL Network’s Good Morning Football.
“What was your rookie moment in the Pro Bowl over the weekend?” asked NFL Network’s Jamie Erdahl.
“That’s a great question,” said Maye. “I think throwing a touchdown to Ja’Marr [Chase] is pretty cool. That was pretty cool for me to experience that. You know, one of the best in the NFL.
“And really, my rookie moment was just being around the guys. Being around the veterans - you know, seeing guys like Dexter Lawrence and Jeffery Simmons, someone I played against. Danielle Hunter, who strip-sacked me himself. So seeing guys that I faced all year long, and guys that I grew up playing Madden with as a video gamer. So kind of getting a chance to be around them and kind of be one of the guys was probably the coolest moment for me.”
Among the four names he mentioned there, one name stands out:
Jeffery Simmons.
The All-Pro defensive tackle from the Titans raised eyebrows in January after being spotted liking posts on social media that were calling for a reunion between Simmons and newly hired Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel in New England.
Do I think Maye and Simmons had conversations in Orlando about the new head coach in New England?
Yes, yes I do.
Now, how much those conversations involved Maye convincing Simmons to force a trade to New England is something, I cannot speak to and would feel unprofessional speculating.
But it’s the offseason - let your imagination run wild!
That’s not all Maye had to say about Simmons.
“Drake, who would you say was the MVP off the field, like at the pool, on the bus - like the glue guy who held it all together?” asked NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt.
“I think the guys up front were great,” said Maye. “Big Jeff Simmons was great.”
He went on to give a longer answer about Chargers safety Derwin James, but that’s not the point. Maye mentioned Simmons first, so that’s what we’re focusing on!
I’m choosing to believe that his praise for Simmons with NFL Network after talking about recruiting on FanDuel TV is not a coincidence.