New England Patriots star quarterback Drake Maye says he thrives playing in a place where success is the standard, even if that comes with some scrutiny when his performance doesn’t match fans’ expectations.
“I think that makes this somewhere where you want to be” as opposed to a market where “the fans and media would be easy on you,” Maye told a wildly supportive audience of about 2,000 Bryant University students, faculty, staff, and guests at a sold-out Q&A session on Nov. 4.
“I appreciate the harshness,” he added, saying it motivated him to work hard to match the success of the Patriots, Red Sox, and other Boston-area championship teams that came before him.
Maye, whose team at the midpoint of the NFL season has a 7-2 record, came to Smithfield on his Tuesday night off from Pats activities to answer questions from Bryant students as the guest of the school’s Student Programming Board.
The welcome Maye received was anything but harsh: spontaneous chants of “MVP” rang out before Maye appeared, as he emerged to take the stage at the packed MAC, and throughout the session.
“I didn’t expect this tonight,” a grinning Maye said in response. "It’s pretty sick.”
Moderators Jessica Queeney '27 and Corey Roberts '27 peppered the good-natured Maye with about a dozen prepared and student-submitted questions, focusing on topics like how he has dealt with the expectations of being the third overall draft pick coming into the NFL last season; what it has been like holding down the same job as legendary Patriots quarterback Tom Brady; and where he finds support and motivation to succeed at a high level.
Maye cited his religious faith, wife, family members, professors, coaches, and counselors for supporting his success on the football field, and said that students also should be unafraid to lean on their own support networks.
He said having three athletic older brothers helped him develop his competitive drive; they’re now his “three best friends” and frequent sounding board.
“It’s a pretty competitive family,” he said, noting that as a teenager, “I was like 5'6" and they were all 6’5" plus, so I just had to find a way to, if it was 2-on-2 basketball in the backyard, make a name for myself … They still text the group chat after a game about me missing somebody who was wide open, so they keep me humble ’til this day.”
Asked about how to develop consistency, Maye compared the routine of getting up every day to work out and prepare for games to what college students face daily: attending classes, doing homework, and taking part in extracurricular activities. He acknowledged that both routines can sometimes be repetitive.
“That's what's funny to me; you kind of have the same schedule,” he said. “It's hard to do the same things over and over again.” Maye advised students to find joy in hard work and success and surround themselves with supportive people. “This seems like a crowd that I'd like being around,” he added, drawing a tremendous cheer.
Maye, 23, frequently connected his experiences with those of his audience. “It’s cool to talk to people my own age,” he told the Bryant crowd. "I’ve been in the same position as y’all are. It’s a stressful time in your life. A lot of people throughout my life have helped me out, and it’s motivation to keep going.”
"I’ve been in the same position as y’all are. It’s a stressful time in your life. A lot of people throughout my life have helped me out, and it’s motivation to keep going.”
He added, “I think winning is motivational,” making a point to shout out the Bryant soccer team’s rise to the number 2 ranking in the U.S. and the men’s basketball team’s run to the March Madness tournament last season.
Maye joined the crowd in whooping it up when the first three students who asked questions stood to show they were wearing his number 10 Patriots jersey. He shared his favorite versions of the Madden NFL video game (“17, the one with Gronk on the cover”); what he likes to do with his free time (golf, ping pong games with teammate and tight end Hunter Henry, Bible study sessions, and watching “Dancing with the Stars” with his wife, Ann); and named his favorite cartoons growing up (“The Simpsons” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” adding that he identified most closely with the creative, brainy Donatello).
For inspiration, Maye said he looks to the work ethic of veterans like Henry and center David Andrews, and added that he appreciates the leadership of first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, who as a player was a linebacker for several Patriots championship teams.
“He's kind of brought some ‘nasty’ to the program that we really needed,” Maye said. “He challenges us. He coaches us hard, but at the end of the day he cares about us off the field. He's awesome to play for, and he’s got an energy that a lot of the guys would be a little bit scared to test and try on. He's a big dude.”
“Don't forget to tell people you love them or that you appreciate them,” advised the young man tasked with filling the role once held by Tom Brady. “Be yourself and know that you're good enough in the eyes of the Lord, if you're a believer in faith, and if not, you're good enough to yourself. I’m just trying to be myself and not be somebody I'm not.”
Just as athletes often say the key to success is taking things one day at a time, Maye urged college students to stay in the moment rather than obsessing over what happens after graduation – and to lean into gratitude for those who have helped them along the way. “Don't forget to tell people you love them or that you appreciate them,” he said.
Added the young man tasked with filling the role once held by Tom Brady: “Be yourself and know that you're good enough in the eyes of the Lord, if you're a believer in faith, and if not, you're good enough to yourself.
“I’m just trying to be myself and not be somebody I'm not.”