Patriots QB Drake Maye credits his success partly to competing with his brothers at a young age

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — When Drake Maye thinks about what it took for him to make it to the Super Bowl in just his second NFL season, his mind drifts to some of the stiffest competitions he’s ever faced.

“I just think every two-on-two basketball (game) in the backyard probably prepared me for this,” the New England Patriots quarterback said. “The joy of it, but kind of the feeling you get of accomplishing something, me beating my older brothers or just having an opportunity to compete at a high level.”

Those siblings — Luke, Cole and Beau — never took it easy on the youngest of the Maye boys. It made Drake want to follow in their footsteps as college athletes. Luke and Beau shined on the basketball court at North Carolina. Cole won a baseball national title at Florida.

Maye will now get the chance to achieve on a level none of them have when he leads the Patriots into their Super Bowl matchup with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

The narrative surrounding New England’s 12th Super Bowl appearance has largely centered on the similarities between this team and the one Tom Brady led to the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy in his second season in 2001. But there are also many differences.

Maye has a long way to go before he gets close to replicating Brady’s success. Still, after initial failed attempts by the Patriots to fill the future Hall of Famer’s shoes, Maye is looking like a worthy successor.

Yes, like Brady, Maye’s hit a stride in his second season. But he’s also following his own path.

Brady grew up a California kid wanting to be Joe Montana but wasn’t drafted until the sixth round. Maye was the No. 3 overall draft pick out of North Carolina who watched the Patriots beat his Panthers in the first Super Bowl he saw in person. That game took place in the same stadium where he’ll now play his first Super Bowl.

Maye has tried to avoid the spotlight during his breakout season, though it hasn’t prevented him from earning the respect of teammates who believe his best football is yet to come.

As even-keeled as Maye has been throughout this season, they have seen his emotions dial up at times.

“After a win. Especially after the AFC championship win when he’s running for the first down (that helped secure the win),” receiver Stefon Diggs recalled. “He’s just a quarterback who kind of gives the credit to everybody else. But as a receiver, I’d like to give him more credit than everybody takes. He can run, he can throw, he can jump and can cut. He can make people miss. He does a lot from that quarterback position that’s truly special. When you see that guy get emotional, it’s more on the good side.”

Maye’s leadership abilities have also been refreshing to those around him.

When Patriots coach Mike Vrabel surveyed the NFL landscape in search of a new team, one of the things he hoped to find was a team with a young quarterback that he felt he could build around.

It didn’t take him long to see something special in Maye.

“I think I probably realized that before I got here. That’s a large part of the reason that I wanted to be here,” Vrabel said.

Then he got a chance to see him in person.

“There were plays in training camp and things that he did,” Vrabel said. “I think the thing was the accuracy outside of the pocket or on the move, the way he plays the position, he has an athletic nature to the way that he plays the position. So, I think that’s somewhat unique."

Maye has also demonstrated his running ability. Though his ability to make clean slides has been an issue at times, he rushed for 450 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season.

He’s posted 141 rushing yards and a touchdown in the playoffs, adding a dimension to his game that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been more than willing to work into his scheme.

Maye's scrambles in the AFC championship game win over Denver helped the Patriots find offense in a game dominated by defense. That could again be the case against Seattle on Sunday.

“Now that I’m in the NFL now, I’m just trying to model my game after myself,” Maye said. “There’s things you try to take from players. But I wouldn’t say I’m trying to model my game after anybody anymore. I’m at the stage now where I’m an NFL quarterback and trying to make a name for myself.”

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye laughs during the NFL Super Bowl Opening Night, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. ahead of the Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye talks to the media during a news conference Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif., ahead of the Super Bowl 60 NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye talks to the media during a news conference Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif., ahead of the Super Bowl 60 NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye looks to pass during practice ahead of the Super Bowl 60 NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Stanford, Calif. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Giannis Antetokounmpo remained with the Milwaukee Bucks while plenty of other players changed addresses as the NBA trade deadline passed Thursday.

An extremely busy deadline, at that: There were 28 trades made in the week leading up to the deadline, the most that the NBA has seen in over that timeframe in the last 20 years — with 18 of those trades getting finalized by teams Thursday in the hours before the deadline.

That ties a deadline-day record, set two years ago. And 27 teams were involved in at least one trade in the week leading up to the deadline, tying another league record.

But none of them involved Antetokounmpo, who had been the center of attention heading into the trade deadline amid reports that the Milwaukee Bucks started listening to offers for the two-time MVP and nine-time all-NBA selection. The deadline came at 3 p.m., and Antetokounmpo wasn't going anywhere.

Antetokounmpo, who hasn’t played since straining his right calf on Jan. 23, has spent his entire 13-year career with Milwaukee and led the Bucks to a title in 2021.

Antetokounmpo repeatedly has said that he loves playing in Milwaukee, but he also has emphasized that he wants to continue playing for a team that’s committed to competing for championships. The Bucks have lost in the first round of the playoffs each of the last three seasons and are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.

Memphis' Ja Morant also hadn't been traded as of the deadline, even though his future had been the subject of much speculation over the last few weeks.

Morant has spent his entire career in Memphis, but the Grizzlies are 11th in the Western Conference standings and already dealt two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz this week as part of a roster overhaul.

Although he’s a two-time All-Star in his own right, Morant has seen his stock fall lately because of injuries and off-court issues as well as a drop in production.

There were some notable trades to take place Thursday, but none of them involved anyone with Antetokounmpo's star power.

Indiana acquired 7-footer Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. Minnesota added some potential bench scoring by getting Ayo Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls. New York gained some backcourt depth by landing Jose Alvarado from New Orleans.

Most of the biggest names to change teams did so in trades that were reported earlier in the week. That list of players included 2018 MVP and 11-time All-Star James Harden as well as five-time all-NBA selection Anthony Davis.

The Indiana Pacers paid a big price to get a big man. The Pacers sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and up to three draft picks to the Los Angeles Clippers, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced.

Zubac, who turns 29 next month, has averaged 14.4 points and 11 rebounds this season. The 7-footer gives Indiana a reliable center that could help the defending Eastern Conference champions contend again when Tyrese Haliburton returns from his Achilles injury next season.

Mathurin, 23, was averaging 17.8 points for Indiana.

As the deadline approached, the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls, a person with knowledge of the deal told the AP. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade hadn't been finalized.

Minnesota agreed to send guard Rob Dillingham, forward Leonard Miller and four second-round draft picks to the Bulls for Dosunmu and forward Julian Phillips.

Dosunmu is making about $7.5 million in the final season of his current contract. The 26-year-old is averaging a career-high 15 points per game and shooting a career-best 45.1% from 3-point range. He will fill an obvious need for the Timberwolves for more offense off the bench.

Toronto added a future Hall of Famer in Chris Paul, who will likely never play for the Raptors, to get below the luxury tax threshold.

The Raptors traded with the Los Angeles Clippers for Paul, at least on paper. Toronto also sent forward Ochai Agbaji, a future second-round pick and cash to the Nets, the Raptors announced.

Paul — who is expected to retire after this season — was sent home by the Clippers in November but remained on their payroll.

The Cleveland Cavaliers sent guard Lonzo Ball to the Utah Jazz for a pair of second-round draft picks.

Ball appeared in 35 games, including three starts, and averaged 4.6 points, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 20.8 minutes. The Jazz will be the fifth team for Ball in his seven-year career.

The Knicks and Pelicans made a last-hour deal Thursday to send Jose Alvarado to New York for two second-round picks and Dalen Terry, who they acquired in a separate deal with Chicago, a person with knowledge of the deal told the AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade hadn’t been announced publicly.

The Clippers sent Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for two-time All-Star Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick. The 26-year-old Garland is 10 years younger than Harden.

Davis is going from the Dallas Mavericks to the Washington Wizards as part of an eight-player trade. The Wizards are receiving Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum in exchange for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks and three second-round selections.

The Wizards eventually can pair Davis with four-time All-Star guard Trae Young, who came to Washington last month in a trade with Atlanta. Davis and Young are both currently injured.

Dallas then sent Branham to Charlotte in exchange for point guard Tyus Jones, a person familiar with the situation told the AP. Charlotte had acquired Jones from Orlando earlier in the week.

The Hawks acquired Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers for shooting guard Luke Kennard, a person with knowledge of the move told the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet received the required league approval. Atlanta also received Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield from the Golden State Warriors for Kristaps Porzingis.

Each of the conference leaders also has made a move this week.

The defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Jared McCain from the Philadelphia 76ers for a 2026 first-round draft pick and three second-round selections. The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons got Kevin Huerter from the Chicago Bulls as part of a four-team trade.

The Boston Celtics announced later Thursday that they acquired guard John Tonje from the Jazz in exchange for forward Chris Boucher, a future second-round pick, and cash considerations.

AP Pro Basketball Writers Tim Reynolds and Brian Mahoney, and AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell, Schuyler Dixon, Joe Reedy, Charles Odum and Michael Marot contributed to this report.

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Chicago Bulls' Ayo Dosunmu loses the ball in front of Milwaukee Bucks' AJ Green during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, goes up for a shot against Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant looks on from the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo blows a bubble on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo sits on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo smiles on the bench with Thanasis Antetokounmpo during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)