Drake Maye is ambitious to break records ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl

[p]But for the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-england-patriots/G6oNfmi8/"]New England Patriots[/a] prodigy, following in the intimidating footsteps of all-time great [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brady-tom/fezaExal/"]Tom Brady[/a], even that would be just the beginning of the journey.[/p][p]"[b]I don't think you play this game and play this position, not trying to become an NFL all-time great[/b]," [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maye-drake/A5SpHBoA/"]Maye[/a] told AFP on Wednesdsay.[/p][p]"[b]I think the only way to do that is win more games. So I think, focus on this one here, and get back to work. That's the biggest thing.[/b]"[/p][p]North Carolina-born Maye was the third overall pick in the 2024 draft, quickly becoming the Patriots' starting quarterback. But this year has been his true breakout season.[/p][p]"[b]He has an athletic nature to the way that he plays the position that's somewhat unique[/b]," head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters.[/p][p]"[b]He's comfortable in the pocket. I think his ability to transfer up into the pocket, to make moves, to make throws off-platform and at different angles - it's been impressive.[/b]"[/p][p]The praise is more than borne out by the stats. This year Maye threw for 31 touchdowns, managing the league-best completion percentage (72 percent) and yards per pass attempt (8.9), and rushed for four more.[/p][embed guid="be76f34b-3170-42a8-b3af-5cc7544fbd90" url="https://x.com/NFLonPrime/status/2019162549946564986?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Four of his touchdowns have come in Maye's first ever playoff run, including three in a dominant win over the Houston Texans.[/p][p]And Maye showed experience beyond his years to steer the Patriots to a game-winning field goal in the blizzard-hit low-scoring AFC Championship games against the Denver Broncos.[/p][p]The laid-back, devout Christian was reliably referred to as "our leader" by even his older Patriots teammates in several interviews this week.[/p][p]"[b]He's very mature. I was with him last year, I think he made a great jump this year[/b]," running back Rhamondre Stevenson told AFP.[/p][h2]No limit[/h2][p]A Super Bowl win against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/seattle-seahawks/f5h1oOee/"]Seattle Seahawks[/a] would make Maye's sophomore season truly historic.[/p][p]He is already the second-youngest starting quarterback to reach a Super Bowl, after Dan Marino with the Miami Dolphins in 1985, and would be the youngest to win if the Patriots prevail.[/p][p]But he told AFP on Wednesday that his goals go much further.[/p][p]"[b]Any limits to my ambition? I think why would you limit yourself in any way?[/b]" he said.[/p][p]"[b]Try to reach your full potential and do whatever you can to reach the highest.[/b]"[/p][p]That could even include a surprise bid to play for Team USA in flag football's debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, he revealed.[/p][p]"[b]I think it'd be an honor to play for my country in any way[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]I know there's a lot of great players out there that would love to play, and I know quarterback is one of those positions that only a couple can play[/b]."[/p][p]"[b]But I know I'd be honored and proud to play.[/b]"[/p][h2]'One game'[/h2][p]Back in the present, Maye has brushed off concerns that a minor shoulder injury and illness this past week could impact his first game on football's biggest stage.[/p][p]Veteran Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels warned that his youthful quarterback can still get substantially better.[/p][p]"[b]Quarterbacks are never a finished product, and certainly not in their second year[/b]," he told AFP.[/p][p]"[b]So a long way to go. A lot of things he knows he's going to be able to improve on, we'll look at those in the offseason.[/b]"[/p][p]But as for now, "[b]it's really all about preparing for one game, one team, one opponent[/b]."[/p]