“They hate us, ‘cuz they ain’t us…” These words spew from the mouths of die-hard and bandwagon Patriots fans alike. Words spat with such disdain for those who don’t support the Patriots cult. As a non-Pats fan living in New England, I can say without a doubt that New England’s fans are the most obnoxious in the National Football League, possibly in all of sports. Yes, even more annoying than Dallas Cowboys fans, but not as delusional.

Often, people think that New York or Philly possess the most passionate fans, but nope… that title goes to New England. Don’t use the Lord or Tom Brady’s name in vain anywhere north of Greenwich, unless you want trouble. I once said Joe Montana was the greatest QB of all time, and I nearly got my head bitten off.

TB12, Lord of the Rings

The bane of the AFC East, Tom Brady is one of the most polarizing forces that the NFL has ever seen. People in New England, specifically Massachusetts, worship the ground he walks on; people in Buffalo, New York, and Miami call him Daddy. Love him or hate him, it is his fault that, for over twenty years, we had to endure the “New England Vs Everybody” mentality.

In 2001, Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick brought the Patriots to the promised land, winning the team’s first Super Bowl. As a longtime New Englander, I was happy to see my guy Drew Bledsoe win a Super Bowl ring, even if he was now the backup to Brady. If only that was the end of it… Brady led the Pats to nine Super Bowl appearances from 2001-2019, winning six Lombardi Trophies, solidifying the Patriots’ dynasty as one of the best in sports history.

When Brady left Foxboro for Tampa Bay, I prayed that we had heard the last of that God-awful phrase. One of my prayers was answered: Brady won the Super Bowl for my beloved Buccaneers, but unfortunately, I have a feeling that the Patriots’ new quarterback, Drake Maye, might resurrect those fans from their basements where they hid during the dark, post-Brady era.

Drake “Drake Maye” Maye

After Brady left New England to captain a pirate ship in Tampa, the Patriots were desperate to replace their legendary signal caller. The Mac Jones quarterback experiment had failed, and they shipped him to Jacksonville… Enter Drake Maye, the dual-threat QB from North Carolina.

When he first took his place under center, he had the usual hiccups and hangups that are expected from a rookie quarterback. The difference between Maye and other young passers was that he learned from his mistakes and improved every game. He looked like a seasoned vet by season’s end and was named to the Pro Bowl in his first year.

During the 2025 off-season, the Patriots hired former Patriots great Mike Vrabel as head coach and brought back offensive guru Josh McDaniels to coordinate New England’s scoring attack. These coaching changes lifted Maye to the next level as an NFL quarterback.

He set the NFL record for completion percentage by a second-year QB (72%), broke New England’s single-season completion record, and became the first QB in NFL history with over 4,000 yards, 70%+ completions, and over 450 yards rushing in a season. He is a frontrunner for the NFL MVP… Oh yeah, he also led the Patriots to a 14-3 record and their first playoff appearance since 2021.

The Maye Dynasty…?

With the New England Patriots playing dominant football all season long, it seemed reminiscent of years passed, where the Patriots ruined many people’s Sunday dinners. People have gone “Gay for Maye” as their new savior has raised the franchise from the dead in just his second season.

I can’t help but think about that other guy who put the team on his back in his second season en route to his first Super Bowl victory. But if Maye falls short, he has time on his side. The Patriots are young and talented. They are well-coached and full of potential. I don’t think the question is if Drake Maye will bring a championship back to Massachusetts, but rather WHEN.

Following the end of the Patriots’ dynasty, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs took the helm, winning three Super Bowls, but for the last three or four years, people have been praying for the Chiefs’ downfall. Now that day has come, but at what cost…? Is the world ready for the return of, “You hate us, ‘cuz you ain’t us”?