Career Timeline of Drake Maye: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Drake Maye made an impact.

Drake Maye is a professional American football quarterback for the New England Patriots, selected third overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of North Carolina, where he won ACC Football Player of the Year in 2022. During that year, he led the NCAA in total yards and established single-season school records for passing yards and touchdowns. Maye earned Pro Bowl honors in his first NFL season.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1950: Historical start

On October 8, 2024, in his first start against the Houston Texans, Drake Maye became the first quarterback since at least 1950 to throw three touchdown passes and lead his team in rushing.

1973: Historical rookie season record

In 2024, Drake Maye's first 10 passing touchdowns went to ten different receivers, making him the first NFL quarterback to accomplish that feat since Steve Ramsey did so in 1973.

July 2019: Committed to Alabama

In July 2019, Drake Maye, a four-star prospect, initially committed to play college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

March 2020: Flipped to North Carolina

In March 2020, Drake Maye changed his commitment from Alabama to North Carolina for his college football career.

2022: Named ACC Player of the Year

In 2022, Drake Maye was named the ACC Player of the Year. He led the NCAA in total offense with 5,019 yards, passing for school records of 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns, and rushing for 698 yards and 7 touchdowns, leading the team to appearances in the ACC Championship Game and Holiday Bowl.

May 28, 2024: Signed with Patriots

On May 28, 2024, Drake Maye signed a four-year, fully-guaranteed contract worth $36.64 million with the New England Patriots.

October 8, 2024: Named Starting Quarterback

On October 8, 2024, Drake Maye was named the starting quarterback for the Patriots after the team fell to 1-4 and Jacoby Brissett struggled. He completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards with 3 touchdowns in his first start.

2024: Declared for the NFL Draft

Following the 2023 season, Drake Maye declared for the 2024 NFL draft. By the end of his college career, he ranked fifth in passing yards (8,018) and fourth in passing touchdowns (63) in UNC history.

2024: Drafted by New England Patriots

In 2024, Drake Maye was selected as the third overall pick in the NFL draft by the New England Patriots and earned Pro Bowl honors during his rookie season.

January 2025: Selected for Pro Bowl

In January 2025, Drake Maye was selected to play in the 2025 Pro Bowl Games as a replacement for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

2025: New Coaching Staff

The 2025 season for Drake Maye began with change in the Patriots' coaching staff with the hiring of new head coach Mike Vrabel and the return of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.