The New England Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl, and somehow, even the people closest to Drake Maye didn’t see it coming this quickly.
Not the fans.
Not the media.
And not even his own family.
As the Patriots punched their ticket to Super Bowl LX with a playoff win over the Denver Broncos, celebration quickly turned into logistical chaos for the Maye household. Flights, time zones, and tight schedules suddenly mattered more than predictions.
“Like everybody, I’m surprised they made the Super Bowl,” Drake’s father, Mark Maye, admitted.
It wasn’t disbelief. It was honesty.
Mark, a former UNC football player himself, said he expected improvement from New England this season. He believed they’d be better than most people projected. Maybe even competitive. But the Super Bowl? That crossed into territory even optimism couldn’t fully prepare him for.
“Honestly, it wouldn’t have surprised me for them to make the playoffs,” he said. “But to make the Super Bowl? That’s pretty tough to do.”
That single sentence captures the speed of Drake Maye’s rise.
The Patriots didn’t crawl into contention—they sprinted. A young quarterback, a new coaching staff, and a redefined offensive identity came together faster than anyone anticipated. Including the family that has watched Drake’s career from peewee football to the NFL.
Now, they’re scrambling—happily.
The entire Maye family plans to attend the Super Bowl in Santa Clara on February 8, but getting everyone there is no small task. Drake’s oldest brother, Luke, currently lives in Japan, where he plays professional basketball. His plan? Fly across the world, arrive in California on Sunday morning, watch the game, and then turn right back around.
Japan to Super Bowl. Super Bowl to Japan. In less than 24 hours.
“That’s the latest we’ve heard anyway,” Mark said, underscoring how fluid the situation still is.
Luke isn’t the only athlete in the family. The Maye household has long been defined by sports. Cole, the second-oldest brother, won an NCAA baseball title at the University of Florida. Beau, the youngest, played basketball at UNC until graduating in 2023. Competition wasn’t encouraged—it was expected.
But even in a family built on high-level athletics, this moment stands apart.
Cole, Beau, and their parents will arrive in Santa Clara days ahead of the game. Drake’s wife, Ann Michael Maye—who has quietly become a fan favorite in her own right—will travel separately with other players’ wives, adding another layer to the orchestrated chaos surrounding Super Bowl week.
There’s something grounding about the way Mark Maye talks about it all. No bold predictions. No legacy talk. Just awe at how quickly the climb happened.
Drake Maye is 23 years old. This is his first Super Bowl. And the people who know him best are still processing how suddenly the moment arrived.
That might be the most telling detail of all.
Because dynasties usually announce themselves slowly. This Patriots team didn’t. It appeared, accelerated, and kept winning—forcing everyone, even family, to adjust on the fly.
Somewhere between Japan, North Carolina, and California, the Mayes are catching up to reality.
And on Super Bowl Sunday, they’ll be there—jet-lagged, wide-eyed, and watching a moment none of them expected to come this soon.
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