Patriots’ Drake Maye: “There’s no better feeling than coming home to a wife that loves you”

When New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye lines up under center on Sunday for the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California, he’ll be playing in front of 70,000 fans inside Levi’s Stadium and over 100 million people watching on television.

Yet for the North Carolina native who’s been playing the game for years, making it to professional football’s grandest stage isn’t the biggest or most important thing in his life.

Speaking with media this week, Maye told reporters:

“I’m a follower of Jesus Christ. It’s the biggest thing in my life.”

Drake is also married to Ann Michael, his longtime girlfriend. The Mayes are strong advocates for tying the knot. 

“My teammates have a right to do whatever they choose,” he said. “I definitely would advise them to eventually get married. It’s one of the best things in life. It’s one of the best things I’ve experienced in my life. There’s no better feeling than coming home to a wife that loves you and cares for you and worried about your best interests.”

“I know my teammates, some of them are experiencing different parts of their life in what stages. But I chose to get married young, and I don’t regret it one bit.”

A two-sport athlete in high school, Drake says it’s the prioritization of the Lord that’s “gotten me here and what helps me get here.” Yet despite his success, he’s not self-focused, but sees the game as a platform to evangelize.

“I can shine light on others, hopefully leading them to relationship with Him or doing whatever I can to help lead them to Jesus Christ, knowing how their life can change and what it can do for them.”

Maye credits James Mitchell, the Patriots’ chaplain and director of player development, with helping him deepen his faith during the quarterback’s two seasons in Foxboro, Massachusetts. 

“One of the best things about a football team is that there’s other brothers on the team that are followers of Christ,” Maye told Sports Spectrum. “Being able to share thoughts and sit down in chapel and listen to our chaplain, Mitch, talk before a game, it’s just so powerful. And realizing the night before a game that we’re in here spreading the Word and listening to the Word.”

During his time with players, Chaplain Mitchell is known for stressing the walk over the talk.

“You can quote 20,000 Bible verses, but that don’t mean anything if you’re living one.”

By ‘living” a verse, Mitchell is stressing action over conversation.  

Speaking of the Christian believers on the New England Patriots, the chaplain said, “They’re listening to the Spirit to tell them what they do. And for some of them, they may not be intentional with it, though, your Holy Spirit will alert you when you need to say something and when you don’t, you know.”

During “Media Day” this week, Maye was asked about his favorite verse in the Bible. He didn’t answer right away but pondered the question for a moment and then gave his answer — Proverbs 16:9: “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

The New England star explained, “You can have all these plans in life — ‘I want to do this, I want to do this’ — but it’s really the Lord’s doing the work.”

Of course, Drake Maye isn’t the only devoted Christ follower playing in Sunday’s game. His teammate, TreVeyon Henderson, has said, “I am nothing without God.” On the Seattle Seahawks, Ernest Jones recently discussed recommitting his life to the Lord.

“I found myself feeling like I was missing something, and what I was missing was God,” he said in November. “I got my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ back.”

There’s also the Seahawks’ Cooper Kupp, who has declared:

“I’m walking this path just like so many of my Christian brothers and sisters are. And I strive for my relationship with Christ to become closer every day, and there are battles every day. But to know God’s grace is plentiful as it is sufficient is going to fill that. And I’ve experienced it throughout my entire life.”

It’s the wise players who put the sport in perspective.

“One of the biggest things in my life that I’ve learned is that there’s purpose and there’s passion,” said Maye. “My passion is football and my purpose is [being] a believer and being strong in my faith.”

Enjoy the game, commercials (most of them) and the Turning Point USA All-American Halftime Show.