Legendary Coach Applauds Patriots' Drake Maye

A legendary head coach has given major praise to New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

Dec 22, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass under pressure from Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop (24) and linebacker Dorian Williams (42) in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots have been extremely pleased with what they have seen from rookie quarterback Drake Maye this season.

After he ended up taking over the starting job much earlier than the Patriots were planning, he has completely exceeded expectations. Not only has he played well himself, he has elevated the play of teammates around him and has shown off leadership skills well beyond his years.

In 11 games this season, Maye has completed 67.6 percent of his pass attempts for 2,159 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He has also picked up 389 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Ahead of New England's Week 17 matchup at home against the Los Angeles Chargers, he received some major praise from the opponent.

Jim Harbaugh, one of the best head coaches in football, spoke out with brief glowing praise for the Patriots' young signal caller.

"They're playing extremely well... Drake Maye is progressing into being a really fine quarterback," Harbaugh said.

Getting that kind of praise from Harbaugh shows just how much Maye has been turning heads across the league.

At just 22 years old, there is no denying the superstar potential that he possesses. Right now, it sure looks like New England has their answer at quarterback for years to come.

Now, the task will be to build a better team around Maye. Thankfully, the Patriots have plenty of assets to make that happen.

If the season ended today, New England would hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Should they end up losing to the Chargers this week and to the Buffalo Bills next week, they would have no worse than that selection.

In addition to excellent draft capital, the Patriots will also have a lot of cap space to spend.

Maye has sped up the outlook of the New England rebuild. There is a very good chance that with the right moves, the Patriots could be back in contention as soon as next season or the year after.

Hopefully, Maye continue developing as he has been this season and reaches his full potential. He could be the guy to lead New England back to Super Bowl contention down the road.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Patriots are Perfect Match for Cowboys Star Defender
• Analyst Gives Patriots Firm Mandate for Rest of Season
• 3 Overlooked Roster Needs for the Patriots
• Josh Allen Praises Patriots QB Drake Maye
• Patriots Warned to Avoid One WR in NFL Draft