A new career first for Drake Maye
For the first time in his career, Drake Maye has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 01: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots looks to pass during the first quarter of the game against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium on December 01, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesThroughout his sophomore season in the NFL New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has hit a number of 'firsts' for his career. The latest came on Wednesday, when he was announced as the AFC Player of the Week for the first time.
Maye gets the nod after leading the Patriots to a 33-15 win over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. He completed 24 of his 31 pass attempts for 282 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Given the way Maye has been playing this year, it's a little surprising Maye hadn't won AFC Player of the Week yet. Through 13 weeks he's the MVP frontrunner, leading the NFL with both a 71.5% completion percentage, and 3,412 passing yards. His 23 passing touchdowns rank fourth in the league.
Not only has Maye not won AFC Offensive Player of the Week this year - no Patriots player had. In fact, this is the first time a Patriot has won the award since 2017, when Deion Lewis got the nod in Week 16. It's the first time a Patriots quarterback has won the award since Tom Brady did so earlier in the 2017 season.
Meanwhile, the Patriots' defense and special teams have been well represented in the Player of the Week awards this year. Maye joins Defensive Player of the Week winner K'Lavon Chaisson (Week 7) and Special Teams Player of the Week winners Antonio Gibson (Week 2), Marcus Jones (Week 4), and Andy Borregales (Week 12). Maye and Borregales are the first Patriots teammates to win Player of the Week awards back-to-back since Nick Folk and Gunner Olszewski did so in 2020, also in Weeks 12 and 13.
