Drake Maye’s Super Bowl night ended with a tough stat line and an even tougher piece of history: the most sacks taken by any quarterback in a single NFL postseason. The New England Patriots’ young signal-caller was brought down six times by the Seattle Seahawks' relentless pass rush, pushing his postseason total to 21 sacks - a new all-time record.
That number surpasses the previous mark of 19, set by Joe Burrow during his own Super Bowl run with the Cincinnati Bengals. But while both quarterbacks found themselves under siege during deep playoff pushes, the similarities start to fade when you dig into the details.
Burrow, despite playing behind a notoriously leaky offensive line, managed to deliver under pressure. He had less time to throw, faced more consistent heat, and still found ways to keep the Bengals competitive on the game’s biggest stage. His efficiency metrics - including a higher passer rating and QBR - reflected a quarterback who, while battered, still found ways to move the offense.
Maye, on the other hand, struggled to find rhythm behind a line that, while not elite, wasn’t quite the turnstile Burrow dealt with. The Seahawks’ defense deserves credit - they brought pressure with discipline and disguised looks that clearly rattled the young quarterback.
But the numbers tell the story: Maye finished with the lowest expected points added (EPA) of any quarterback to play at least three postseason games since 2000, clocking in at -29.2. That’s not just a rough outing - that’s historically inefficient.
To be fair, playoff football is a different beast, especially for young quarterbacks. The speed ramps up, the windows shrink, and every mistake is magnified.
Maye’s postseason run had its moments, but the Super Bowl spotlight exposed some growing pains. He’s far from the first young QB to struggle in that setting, and he won’t be the last.
Still, when you stack his performance next to Burrow’s under similar circumstances - second-year quarterbacks, surprising Super Bowl appearances, heavy pressure - the contrast is clear. Burrow elevated his team. Maye, for now, couldn’t overcome the pressure.
This isn’t a final verdict on Maye’s future. Quarterbacks grow, offenses evolve, and playoff scars often become the fuel for future success. But as it stands, Maye walks away from this postseason with a record he’d rather not own - and a long offseason to study the film, regroup, and come back stronger.