Matthew Stafford saw what many others witnessed during a 28-22 win for the Los Angeles Rams over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
Not only does Patriots quarterback Drake Maye belong in the NFL, but he can thrive at the all-important position.
Maye didn’t outplay Stafford, but the rookie signal-caller still delivered a standout performance by completing 30-of-40 passes for 282 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Maye also had a fumble recovered by the Rams.
Stafford, like Rams head coach Sean McVay, came away impressed by Maye, especially with Maye’s pocket presence and toughness.
“Really talented player,” Stafford told reporters, per team-provided transcript. “I’ve watched a little bit of crossover tape just from games, but really talented kid. Obviously can move great in the pocket. I thought he stood in there a few times today and made some nice plays on third down. He’s got a bright future.”
Stafford knows what it’s like to be a young quarterback with the hopes of a franchise placed upon his shoulders. The Detroit Lions selected Stafford with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He went 2-8 in 10 starts as a 21-year-old rookie but went on to enjoy a career that has now spanned 16 seasons.
Maye is just 22 years old, but showed in six starts so far he has the right makeup — both physically and mentally — to succeed as New England’s franchise quarterback. The high praise from Stafford should help Maye’s confidence, especially with it coming from someone the North Carolina product admires.
“Grew up a big fan of Matthew Stafford and still a fan over there on the sideline,” Maye told reporters, per team-provided video. “Used to watch him on Thanksgiving. … Thought he threw the football, sadly, pretty well today. It was cool to watch and glad to meet him after the game and told him I was a big fan.”
