For as poorly as the last five seasons went for the New England Patriots, there’s one fact that’s now surprising.
The Patriots sent two rookie quarterbacks to the Pro Bowl as alternates in a four-year span. Mac Jones got the nod in 2021 after 22 touchdowns and a playoff berth. Drake Maye just earned the selection after a round of opt-outs following the 2024 season.
That’s great for them. They shouldn’t ever be compared, though.
Why? Let’s look at two reasons why.
Jones did have the more attractive rookie season as he started every game, won 10 of them, went to the playoffs and finished runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Maye on the other hand fought to showcase his talent through a dangerous offensive line combination and minimal talent around him as the Patriots won just four games total and won just one start when he played the full game.
Story continues below advertisement
Looking ahead, it’s easy to see Maye is the far more talented quarterback between the two. His future is brighter because of what the Patriots put around him for Year 2. The personnel part is yet to be seen for Maye, but he’ll have established coaches to mold him in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and head coach Mike Vrabel.
New England inversely doomed Jones with coaching changes that put Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, neither of whom had a sustained offensive background, in charge of his development. Results were poor, Jones regressed and the Patriots parted ways after the 2023 season.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
It’s a cool answer to a future trivia question, but the shared Pro Bowl alternate status as rookies for the Patriots is only that when it comes to Jones and Maye.
Featured image via Gregory Fisher/Imagn Images
