Drake Maye named AFC Offensive Player of the Month

Drake Maye is the AFC offensive player of the month.

The New England Patriots quarterback received the honor Wednesday from the NFL.

It is the first time Maye has won the award.

The last Patriot to win Offensive Player of the Month was Tom Brady in November 2017.

That gap of nearly nine years underscores how long New England has gone without a quarterback playing at this level.

Maye earned the award for his performance in October.

The Patriots went 3-1 during that month.

That included a three-game winning streak.

The streak started with a 29-26 road win over the Buffalo Bills on October 4.

Maye completed 90 of 134 pass attempts in October.

That is a completion rate of 67.2 percent.

He threw for 1,199 yards.

He led the NFL with 12 touchdown passes during the month.

He threw only two interceptions.

His quarterback rating for October was 119.0, the best in the league.

He threw at least three touchdowns in each of the four games.

He also ran 23 times for 129 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Maye accounted for five total touchdowns in a 45-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on October 11.

He threw four touchdown passes and ran for one more in that game.

The following week, he threw three touchdown passes in a 26-19 win over the New York Jets on October 18.

Four nights later, he added three touchdowns — two passing and one rushing — in a Thursday night game against the Chicago Bears on October 22.

Maye also earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against the Bills.

In that game, he completed 22 of 37 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns.

He also led the team with 54 rushing yards on eight carries.

The month was a sharp turnaround from September.

Maye threw six interceptions during the Patriots' 1-2 start to the season.

Criticism followed those early struggles.

But October erased much of that noise.

The award is voted on by the NFL.

It recognizes the top offensive performer in each conference for a given month.

Players of the Month are announced by the league office.

The AFC Offensive Player of the Month award has been given since the 1986 season.

Previous winners include Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes, and Tom Brady.

Brady won the award 10 times during his career with the Patriots.

The last New England offensive player to win it before Maye was Brady in November 2017.

Brady threw for 1,121 yards and 10 touchdowns that month.

He led the Patriots to a 3-1 record.

That team went on to reach Super Bowl LII.

Maye is in his second NFL season.

The Patriots selected him with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

He played college football at the University of North Carolina.

He was the ACC Player of the Year in 2022.

Maye took over as the Patriots' starting quarterback early in the 2025 season.

His development has been a top priority for the franchise.

The Patriots have not made the playoffs since the 2021 season.

They finished 4-13 in 2024 and 5-12 in 2025.

Maye's October performance has raised expectations for the rest of the season.

The Patriots are currently 4-4 after the first eight games.

They are in second place in the AFC East.

The team has seven games remaining on the schedule.

Maye will look to build on his October success.

The next game is scheduled for Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts defense ranks 18th in the league against the pass.

Maye will face a Colts secondary that has allowed 15 passing touchdowns this season.

NFL Players of the Month receive a commemorative trophy.

The award also carries a financial bonus for players whose contracts include performance incentives.

Maye's rookie contract includes base salary and signing bonus figures standard for a top-five pick.

Performance bonuses are common in quarterback contracts.

They reward achievements like Pro Bowl selections, playoff appearances, and Player of the Month honors.

The exact terms of Maye's contract have not been disclosed in the source material.

The award confirms what Patriots fans have seen on the field.

Maye has shown the ability to carry the offense.

His 12 touchdown passes in October were the most by any NFL quarterback in the month.

His 119.0 rating was also the league's best.

He has not thrown an interception since September 28.

That streak spans three games.

The Patriots offensive line has given Maye more time to throw in recent weeks.

The running game has also improved, taking pressure off the passing attack.

Maye's mobility has been a factor.

His 129 rushing yards in October included several key first-down runs.

His ability to extend plays has kept drives alive.