Drake Maye says he doesn’t regret marrying young. What readers said.

Readers Say

The New England Patriots quarterback praised early marriage ahead of Valentine’s Day. Some readers celebrated 50-plus years together — others called marrying young a mistake.

By Annie Jonas

February 13, 2026 | 2:33 PM

4 minutes to read

With Valentine’s Day approaching and the New England Patriots officially in offseason mode, quarterback Drake Maye made clear what tops his priority list: spending time with Ann Michael Maye.

During a Tuesday news conference, Maye was asked what his offseason is going to look like compared to last year.

“I got a wife now, I have a beautiful wife,” Maye, 23, said. “I look forward to spending this offseason with my wife. That is kind of my first thought. That is going to be the highlight of my offseason, I can tell you that.”

Maye reflected on tying the knot young, writing in a post with ESPN: “I chose to get married young, and I don’t regret it one bit. I definitely would advise my teammate to eventually get married.”

Maye married his longtime partner Anne Michael Maye (née Hudson), 22, in June 2025. The pair began dating in middle school. Maye has emphasized that while early marriage brought him “peace,” it’s not a one-size-fits-all decision.

With that in mind, we asked Boston.com readers ahead of Valentine’s Day: Did you marry young?

The dozens of responses to our informal poll reflected a wide range of experiences — from strong opposition to decades-long success stories. 

Some readers were blunt.

“The worst thing that can happen in anyone’s life,” wrote Leo T. of Brockton. “Getting married at all is a huge mistake but compiling that with marrying early is inexcusable.”

Others echoed Maye’s view that early marriage can be a stabilizing force. Amy of New Hampshire said, “marrying young helped me get ahead in life,” calling it a source of stability and financial progress. 

Jeff from Boston, who got engaged just weeks after college, credited his three decades of marriage with a simple formula: “Being able to give and receive honest communication is key … along with 100% loyalty.”

Several readers described marrying young, navigating early growing pains, and ultimately celebrating 30, 40, even 50-plus years together.

“I was 19 when I got married. Everyone said it wouldn’t last,” wrote Bruce V. of Lowell. “We have been married for 51 years. We are retired and traveling.”

Another reader, Brandy in Medford, reflected on marrying in the late 1960s when it was simply “what you did,” while acknowledging they may have been “a little too young” at the time — 57 years ago.

Whether readers saw early marriage as a mistake, a milestone, or a cultural norm of the era, their experiences underscored a common theme: there’s no universal blueprint.

As the Patriots enter the offseason, Maye seems content with his own game plan — one that, at least for this Valentine’s Day, starts at home.

Below, see a sampling of reader reflections on marrying young.

Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

What it’s like to marry young, according to readers

“Marrying young helped me get ahead in life. Having a partner to lean on in difficult times and celebrate the wins has brought a lot of stability to my life. Also, it has helped immensely get ahead financially in life. Remember to always be a team, it’s not us against each other, but us against everyone else.” — Amy, New Hampshire

“Got engaged after just a few weeks of dating right after college. Been happily married for 30+ years. Being able to give and receive honest communication is key … along with 100% loyalty.” — Jeff, Boston

“I was married at 20 to my high school sweetheart. It presented its own challenges, since we still had to grow up and go through changes in maturity and discover who we are as individuals while married. We will be celebrating our 33rd anniversary this spring, so I guess we are doing ok! It worked for us, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best decision for everyone. I wouldn’t give advice on marrying (or not) because everyone’s life is their own to choose how to live it.” — Dani, Gardner

“It was just what you did in the 60s/early 70s. My husband and I married in the late 60s. We dated for 3+ years before getting married. It was a big change in our lives. I don’t believe my husband was as ready to get married as I was. My home life before we were married was not pleasant and I wanted out. My husband’s family was a pretty close group. No family drama, easy going. I think we were a little too young, but here we are, 57 years later.” — Brandy, Medford

“I was 19 when I got married. Everyone said it wouldn’t last. We have been married for 51 years. We are retired and traveling. We worked together to save for retirement and had a great life.” — Bruce V., Lowell

“Like Drake, I started dating my wife in junior high school, through high school and college. We got married a week after graduation, also on June 21, and a month later I entered Army OCS and served in Vietnam … Marrying early has worked out well for us. We would do it again. Most of our friends did the same thing in the 1960’s and they are all still married!” — Tom B., Eastham

“I met and married the person I felt most comfortable with and it was the best choice. Plus being crazy in love helped. Going on 46 years. YAY!” — Martha, Saugus

Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.

Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.