The New England Patriots are heading to Super Bowl LX - and if you’re surprised, you’re not alone. Even Drake Maye’s dad didn’t see this coming.
Mark Maye, a former college quarterback himself and father of the Patriots’ rookie signal-caller, admitted what most of us are thinking: this run wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card after back-to-back 4-13 seasons.
“Like everybody, I’m surprised they made the Super Bowl,” the 62-year-old told The Charlotte News and Observer. And while he’s always been a little more optimistic - maybe even a bit biased - when it comes to his kids’ teams, even he didn’t dare pencil in a Super Bowl trip for New England this season.
A playoff berth? Sure.
A deep run? Maybe.
But the big game? That’s a different conversation.
Let’s be honest - it is a tough road. And yet, here the Patriots are, standing on the doorstep of a Lombardi Trophy with a rookie quarterback leading the charge.
Mark Maye knows how rare this is. He played quarterback at North Carolina, just like Drake, and understands the grind of the position.
He also knows how much of a team effort it takes to survive the postseason gauntlet. That’s why he didn’t shy away from calling New England “fortunate” to have made it through the first three rounds of the playoffs - especially after a gritty, grind-it-out 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
“That one wasn’t pretty Sunday,” he said. “All of the boys and I used to say, ‘We don’t care if we win 3-2 or 50-49.’ Well, that one was almost 3-2.”
And he’s right. That AFC title game was a throwback - a defensive slugfest that lacked style points but delivered where it mattered: the scoreboard.
The Patriots didn’t dazzle, but they didn’t need to. In January football, surviving is enough.
For a team that’s weathered two straight losing seasons, a coaching change, and the pressure of breaking in a franchise quarterback, this Super Bowl run isn’t just unlikely - it’s downright remarkable. And for Drake Maye, who’s gone from rookie question mark to Super Bowl starter, it’s the kind of story that reshapes a franchise.
No matter what happens in Super Bowl LX, the Patriots have already flipped the script. And if you ask the guy who knows Drake best, even he’s still wrapping his head around it.