Tom Brady Makes Eye-Opening Drake Maye, Patriots Comparison

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Legendary quarterback Tom Brady issued a surprising comparison for Drake Maye and the Patriots

Just five years after moving on from Tom Brady, the New England Patriots appear to have their new franchise quarterback in Drake Maye. The No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft has helped lead the Pats to an 11-2 record, emerging as a legitimate MVP candidate in the process.

Considering how much success Brady enjoyed during his time with the Pats, every quarterback that suits up for the team in the future is going to be compared to him, regardless of whether or not they deserve it. Brady, however, sees quite a few similarities between Maye and this current New England squad and the teams Brady led during the first part of their dynasty back in the early 2000s.

Tom Brady Issues Surprising Comparison for Drake Maye, Patriots

In his first full season as the Patriots’ starting quarterback, Maye has flourished, throwing for 3,412 yards and 23 touchdowns through 13 games. Hopes were high for Maye entering this season, but nobody could have reasonably expected they would have been as good as they have been. In a way, it mirrors the start of Brady’s career with New England.

While Brady didn’t have the high draft billing that Maye had, he took over under center in 2001 and promptly led the Pats to a Super Bowl championship. That started New England’s historic dynasty, and just a few years after losing Brady, the team is hoping that Maye can lead the team to even more titles in the future.

While Brady is widely believed to be the best player in NFL history, at the start of his career, the Patriots leaned heavily on their defense to complement Brady’s development. This time around, though, Maye has been the one steering the ship, with defense tagging along for the ride. That led Brady to make a unique comparison regarding the team’s rise, while taking a hilarious shot at his former teammate Mike Vrabel, who is now the Pats’ head coach.

“That offense, just like in the early 2000s, the offense is carrying the defense, just like in Vrabel’s days when I was a young second-year quarterback in New England. That’s the way it goes,” Brady jokingly said on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.”

Tom Brady’s Comparison Further Highlights Drake Maye’s Stunning Play

GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 01: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots walks onto the field prior to the game against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium on December 01, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Brady’s comments were made in jest, but they actually further highlight just how impressive Maye has been this season. For example, while he benefits from playing one extra game, Maye appears to be on track to surpass the 4,000-yard mark in his first full season as a starter. In each of Brady’s first three Super Bowl-winning seasons, he failed to reach that mark.

The individual accomplishments won’t mean much if Maye can’t lead the Patriots to championships like Brady did, though. And while he is still very young, Maye has shown a similar poise that helped make Brady a Super Bowl champion at just 24 years old. Maye will look to continue leading New England on its unexpected run of dominance in Week 15 when it squares off against the Buffalo Bills at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.

Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli