Cam Newton reverses course with his comments on Drake Maye after Super Bowl loss

New England Patriots

“With what we saw this year — it is only the beginning, not the end.”

Cam Newton has been one of the most vocal critics of the Patriots and quarterback Drake Maye during the 2025 season.

The former Panthers and Patriots QB regularly took Maye and the Patriots to task as they started to stack wins during the season — harping on the team’s “easiest road” to Super Bowl LX, labeling them as “fool’s gold”, and discrediting Maye’s role in getting New England just one win away from a title. 

Given Maye and the Patriots offense’s struggles in their season-ending loss to the Seahawks on Sunday, it felt like a given that Newton was going to twist the knife even further during his next media appearance. 

But during Monday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take” Newton saluted Maye for the strides he took during a breakout sophomore campaign in the NFL. 

“Contrary to what people may believe about my relationship or how I feel about Drake Maye, I’m extremely proud of how he handled himself throughout the whole season. I’ll say this, Drake Maye — message to you. I will allow myself, if I’m you, to feel every emotion of this game,” Newton said.  “Are you disappointed? You should be. 

“But understand this, this game wasn’t just on what you did. Understand that this season was not a failure. You made leaps, strides and bounds to becoming an MVP candidate. But understand this the most. You do not start here next year. Next year is a new season. Next year is a new chapter. Next year is a new situation. But the goal is still the same. Winning the Super Bowl. 

“Allow yourself, once again, to feel every emotion. Go through an offseason, get prepared, get healthy, and understand that — with what we saw this year — it is only the beginning, not the end.”

Maye struggled during the playoffs and especially in Super Bowl LX against Seattle. He completed 27-of-43 passes against the Seahawks for 295 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions while losing a fumble. 

Most of those passing totals were accrued during garbage time in the fourth quarter, while Seattle generated 17 points off of Maye’s three turnovers. 

Maye was knocked for seven fumbles (four lost) and four interceptions over four playoff games, and was sacked at least five times in each of those postseason bouts.

Despite his woes in the postseason, Maye was the MVP runner-up during the regular season — finishing just one first-place vote and five total points behind Rams QB Matthew Stafford. 

The future should still be bright in New England moving forward with Maye under center, with the 23-year-old signal-caller looking to put Sunday’s showing in the rearview mirror. 

“I think you can use it as a learning experience,” Maye said Tuesday. “It’s an experience I’ll have a chance to remember for the rest of my career, the rest of my life. But it’s a chance to go and battle back from something that didn’t go your way, you wish would’ve gone different. Gives you fuel to remember that and it gives you something to work for.”

“We came up short,” he added. “Didn’t execute or play how we wanted to, but there’s a lot of things this team did well and we can use it down the road. We get back in OTAs, or get back in training camp, what can be the difference? What can we do a little extra?”

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.