Drake Maye Improving 'Physically' Is Dream Scenario for Patriots
Drake Maye's press conference following the New England Patriots' first open OTA practice of the season started off with a bang.
The third-year quarterback, fresh off an All-Pro season and a trip to the Super Bowl, was asked if he was "thicker with two C's" this season. Maye couldn't help but laugh at the inquisition.
"Are you thicker with two C's? Is that the way you're supposed to say it? It's kind of like the hip thing. Are you thicker with two C's? Is that how it's supposed to be?"
Maye tried to answer the question, and made to sure to not answer if he was indeed "thiccer" or not heading into this season.
"I think that's pause, if that's anything," Maye said. "I think that's not the way to put it."
But Maye's potential to grow as a physical quarterback could be a big part of how the Patriots continue their success from a season ago. The 23-year-old rushed the ball 103 times last season, just a hair under double from his rookie year. He racked up 450 yards on the ground and four touchdowns using his legs.
The talent throwing the football is evident, and it's clear that Maye is more-than-capable of impacting the game positively as a physical ball carrier. But bulking up -- especially for a quarterback who has taken as many hits as Maye has to open his career -- is never a bad thing.
He was sacked 47 times in 2025, and a shoulder ailment suffered in the AFC title game clearly impacted his abilities in the Super Bowl. Now with time off, the 6-foot-4, 225 pound quarterback has taken some time to get himself physically right.
A Stronger Drake Maye Is A Scary Sight
"I think that's just part of having a long season and being able to take some time off, come back into it and get your body right for the beginning of the season," he said. "And I think it's kind of how the NFL works. It's a long season and you tend to lose some muscle or lose some weight as the season goes on. You try to maintain that, that's what you try to build during the offseason and maintain during the season.
"So, that's kind of the nature of it. And just trying to be my best version of myself, and that's physically and mentally."
The physical nature of the quarterback position can always make or break young quarterbacks. For pure pocket passers (we'll use a young Tom Brady for example), he didn't need to be the most muscular because it just wasn't part of his game. Yes, you need to be able to absorb hits each week, but that wasn't the Patriots Hall of Famer's bread and butter.
For Maye, that's a lot more up his alley. It's also why the Patriots could be just as successful as last season. The more that the 23-year-old Maye can add to his game, the better.
"I Think You Try Not To Have A Change"
The grind of an NFL season is right around the corner, and for Maye, that's a good thing. It's a chance to use his added weight (if he even put on a few more pounds, though it does appear that he bulked up a tad) to his advantage.
"I think you try not to have a change. I think you try to have the same reasons why you come into work, same reasons why you want to win football games," Maye said about what's changed from last year to this year. "And I think that's one of the best things we're seeing about this team, is we want to get a get-back, kind of not feel like last year was just a one-off year and we're trying to prove ourselves to ourselves, really, and to this football league, that we're a tough team to beat. We're going to bring it every day, and I think that's what this identity and what we're building here is starting to become."
Maye will have the chance to use his new and improved physical stature to help the Patriots back to their winning ways in 2026. And maybe if the wins don't come as easily, in light of recent press conference questions, maybe Maye will just need to adapt to having "thiccer" skin.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Drake Maye Improving 'Physically' Is Dream Scenario for Patriots.
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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 5:00 AM.