Drake Maye's touchdown celebration pays homage to his Carolina roots

Growing up in Huntersville, North Carolina, Drake Maye was essentially less than 20 minutes away from Bank of America Stadium, the home of the Carolina Panthers.

The former UNC football star grew up a fan of the Panthers. While he probably dreamed of being the quarterback of his favorite team, he achieved the goal of making it to the NFL, as Sunday afternoon marked the first time Maye got to play against the team he had supported throughout his youth.

At the start of the second quarter, Maye kept it himself and found his way into the end zone. Once he arrived, the former Tar Heel pulled off a celebration that paid homage to his Carolina roots, doing the iconic "Superman" celebration that Cam Newton trademarked during his time as the Panthers' starting quarterback.

The Patriots left little doubt on Saturday afternoon, rolling to a 42-13 victory in front of the home crowd at Gillette Stadium. Maye completed 14 of 17 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns through the air while scrambling for the aforementioned touchdown run as well.

Playing against the Panthers had to be a surreal moment for Maye, who is now in his second season in the NFL. When the Patriots eventually head to Charlotte, the moment will be even more special for Maye, as it will be a homecoming for the former UNC football star.