Drake Maye's rookie season in the NFL is now capped off by a trip to the Pro Bowl.
First year, first Pro Bowl ✅@DrakeMaye2 is heading to the #ProBowlGames pic.twitter.com/2KHbCHa1XF
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 28, 2025
The former UNC football star has been tabbed as a replacement for this weekend's NFL Pro Bowl Games, as Maye, along with Russell Wilson of the Pittsburgh Steelers, have replaced Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson on the AFC's roster.
Taking over as the New England Patriots starting quarterback in Week 6, Maye threw for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns in his debut season. He added two rushing touchdowns, showcasing his ability to beat teams with his legs in key situations.
Even though New England won just one game with Maye as their starter, the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft proved that his future in the NFL seems very bright. With a new head coach and hopefully an improved roster, we definitely could see even better numbers from the former Tar Heel during his second professional season.
While the Pro Bowl has lost a lot of steam over the years (especially now that the game is a flag football contest), it's still a tremendous honor to be named a Pro Bowler. For Maye, this marks the first of hopefully many trips to the Pro Bowl, as the Patriots franchise hopes that he'll be replaced on the roster in future season as the team prepares for a Super Bowl game the following week.
The Pro Bowl Games will run from this Thursday through Sunday in Orlando, Florida, and include skills competitions and the aforementioned flag football game. Given his skillset, it should be fun watching Maye sling the rock around in this type of setting.