Drake Maye is quickly becoming more than just the Patriots’ young quarterback - he’s emerging as one of the new faces of Boston sports. And in a city that lives and breathes its teams, Maye is already sounding like a guy who gets what it means to be part of the fabric. On a recent radio appearance with WEEI, the 23-year-old quarterback made a pitch - not just for himself, but for the city - aimed squarely at a couple of MLB stars the Red Sox are reportedly chasing this offseason.
Boston is in the middle of a full-throttle effort to land top-tier talent, and names like Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso are firmly on the radar. Maye, asked to give his best sales pitch to those sluggers, didn’t hold back in highlighting what makes Boston a special place to play.
“I think just the way this city and the New England area kind of embraces sports, sports players and professional sports players is one of the coolest things I’ve been a part of,” Maye said. And coming from a guy who’s still in his second season in the NFL, that says something. He pointed to legends like David Ortiz and current stars like Jayson Tatum and David Pastrnak as examples of how Boston rallies around its athletes - across every sport.
“Watching them embrace me and embrace my teammates and some of the other athletes, and how beloved some of the famous guys [are] - Big Papi and some of the greats, Tatum right now and Pasta with the Bruins - has been really cool for me,” Maye added. “And it’s one of, I think, the greatest sports cities in the country.”
He’s not wrong. Boston's sports culture is as passionate and tightly knit as any in the country.
The fans don’t just support their teams - they live them. And that’s the kind of environment players like Schwarber and Alonso would be walking into.
Schwarber, of course, already got a taste of it. He played for the Red Sox during the latter half of the 2021 season and made an immediate impact, both on the field and in the clubhouse.
Alonso, meanwhile, has spent his career in New York - another big-market, high-pressure town - but the vibe in Boston is different. It’s intense, yes, but it’s also deeply personal.
The connection between fans and players here runs deep, and Maye is already seeing that firsthand.
“I know in New England, in this area, it’s 24/7 you’re caring about the teams,” Maye said. “And it’s us, the Bruins, the Pats, the Celtics and the Red Sox. It’s us four, and they care a great deal about us.”
That’s the kind of all-in mentality that defines Boston. Every game matters.
Every player matters. And Maye is embracing that pressure - even leaning into it.
“I think it’s the City of Champions. I mean, that’s what they say, and I think that’s what we try to prove and give them [something] to cheer about. And these fans take it well,” he added.
That’s the pitch - not just from the Red Sox front office, but now from one of the city’s rising stars. Boston isn’t just a place to play; it’s a place to belong. And if the Red Sox can land one (or both) of the power bats they’re targeting, they won’t just be adding talent - they’ll be plugging into a city that’s ready to rally behind them, just like it has with Maye.