Drake Maye Missed ‘MVP’ Chants During Win Over Browns

Maye finished Sunday’s win 18-of-24 passing for 282 yards and three TDs with an interception.

Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots looks on during warmups prior to the game against the Cleveland Browns at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on Oct. 26, 2025. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye didn’t notice multiple “MVP” chants breaking out during the Pats’ win on Oct. 26.

New England struggled in the first half against the Browns’ top-5 defense. But the offense roared to life in the third quarter, putting up 21 points on their way to a 32-13 win. In that flurry of offense, fans broke out in “MVP” chants on consecutive plays during a Pats touchdown drive. Maye told reporters after the game that he missed them, but praised his fans for their support.

“No, I didn’t hear it,” Maye said at his postgame press conference when asked if he heard the chants inside Gillette Stadium.

“The guys were making fun of me about my slide back in the huddle on the long run.”

With just under 2 minutes left to play in the third quarter, Maye scrambled out of a collapsing pocket and ran from the Patriots’ 33-yard line to the Browns’ 39. On the very next play, Maye tossed a long bomb down the sideline to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, who caught it at the goal line for a touchdown.

Despite not hearing the crowd, Maye recognized their presence during the Pats’ success so far in 2025.

“The fans have been awesome all season,” he said.

“It’s been really cool to see the difference from last year to this year. It’s been a journey, and they’ve been through it ... the last couple years. Credit to them ... I think [they are] the best fans in the league and they continue to show out every week.”

In the years since franchise legend Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it has been rough going for the Patriots, both as a team and at the quarterback position.

The Pats went 7-9 in 2020 with Cam Newton at QB. They drafted Mac Jones with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft; Jones led them to a 10-7 record and a Wild Card playoff appearance in 2021, but then went 8-9 in 2022. He was benched mid-season in 2023, and the Patriots went 4-13. They drafted Maye with the 3rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but Maye struggled, and the Pats went 4-13 again.

But through the first eight games of the 2025 season, the Patriots are on a tear with a 6-2 record; the current top spot in the AFC East; and tied for second place in the Conference.

Maye is fifth in the NFL in passing yards with 2,026, and is tied for 6th place in passing touchdowns with 15, against just three interceptions. He has done this despite being sacked 28 times, behind only Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward for most in the NFL.

His performance has put him in the MVP conversation. According to sports betting platform Vegas Insider, Maye currently has the third-best odds to win MVP on all of the major sportsbooks.

Maye finished Sunday’s win 18-of-24 passing for 282 yards and three TDs with an interception. The interception came with just over 13 minutes to play in the second quarter. But Maye bounced back, hitting tight end Hunter Henry, then wide receiver Stefon Diggs, then Boutte for touchdowns all in the third quarter.

He did this against a Browns defense currently ranked 5th in passing yards allowed per game and 3rd in total yards allowed, according to ESPN. The Browns sacked Maye six times; five of those came from defensive end Myles Garrett alone.

Maye said the interception was a mental mistake on his part, but he overcame the adversity.

“We talked about all week, what they strive [for] on their defense, keeping their offense in good positions,” he said.

“I was looking downfield and I forgot the guy in front of me could jump, so he picked it—nice play by him. But just battling back from adversity.”

Boutte teased Maye about it at his postgame presser.

“I was joking with him last week about MVP,” Boutte said. “He [doesn’t] like to hear it, but I think it’s the truth.”

But Boutte also supports his quarterback’s cause.

“We all see it,” he said. “I think Drake doing everything [other MVP contenders are] doing ... at the end of the day, we’re just playing football. We’re having fun with it, too.”