The 23-year-old quarterback, in his second year, finished as the runner-up for NFL MVP in a razor-thin vote to Matthew Stafford, with Stafford at 366 total points and 23 first-place votes to Maye’s 361 points and 23 first-place votes. It was the closest MVP race since 2003.
Maye’s rise underpins the Patriots’ success this season and their present berth in the league championship, marking a remarkable return to elite contention for a franchise that has long valued stability at the position.
In the buildup to the game, former President Donald Trump spoke highly of Maye during a pre-Super Bowl interview with NBC, calling him an “amazing quarterback” and acknowledging the Patriots’ “second coming” at the position while noting Seattle’s quarterback has been impressive as well.
Trump declined to predict the game’s outcome, opting for a neutral stance and praising both teams, including the organization’s long tradition of success under owner Bob Kraft and the evolving quarterback situation.
Trump also weighed in on Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub, describing it as “terrible” and arguing that Belichick’s résumé—six Super Bowls won and a long playoff track record—merits top recognition.
The remarks highlighted the public spotlight on Maye this week as he leads the Patriots into a high-profile matchup, a storyline that frames Super Bowl LX as much around his continued development as it is about the game itself.
