Drake Maye ad-libbed on the game-clinching play in the AFC Championship

The play that clinched the 2025 New England Patriots' Super Bowl appearance fittingly ended with the ball in the hands of their quarterback. When MVP finalist Drake Maye scooted for a first down on 3rd & 5 with 1:57 left in the game and the Denver Broncos without timeouts, it sealed the franchise's record 12th trip to the sport's biggest stage.

That run came off of a naked QB bootleg, a play where all of the blockers start heading one way, the quarterback fakes the handoff that way, then rolls around and runs to the other side. In this case it did in fact surprise the Broncos' defense, but also the Patriots' offense.

Because, as it turns out, that wasn't the designed call. Maye made the decision himself. According to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had called an outside zone run, and Maye improvised.

“I hit my block, and all the defenders started running the other way,” center Garret Bradbury told Callahan after the game. “I’m like, ‘What? Oh my God.'”

It turns out, Maye didn't even let his teammates in on his ad-lib. "After the game, Drake’s like, ‘I debated telling you guys if I was gonna (keep) it or not. But I just decided not to,'” Bradbury added, via Callahan.

That play was the cap on a game where Maye's legs were a major factor throughout. As conditions deteriorated in the snow in Denver, the team leaned more on the run game overall with Maye a factor. Excluding final kneeldowns he ran the ball seven times for 68 yards and the team's lone touchdown.

"That’s the great thing about Drake. His ability to extend plays and if it’s not there, gain chunks," head coach Mike Vrabel said of Maye's rushing ability after the game. "He’s done that most of the year. Again we’ll have to get a lot of things corrected, and we’ll have to play our best football game in two weeks if we want to finish as champions.”

Maye's legs have certainly been a factor for the Patriots throughout this playoff run. Excluding his eight kneeldowns Maye has run 16 times for 149 yards an a touchdown this postseason. He's already passed Tom Brady (136) for the most career rushing yards by a Patriots quarterback in the playoffs.

In the Super Bowl, Maye might have a chance to add to those numbers as well. The Seattle Seahawks 5.03 yards per carry to opposing quarterbacks this regular season, the fifth-most in the NFL.