Drake Maye, the rookie quarterback, has been making waves at the Patriots training camp, with the play of the day on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, being the latest highlight of his impressive practice performances. As the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Maye signed a four-year contract with the Patriots, marking the beginning of a new era for the team. Although he is currently behind Jacoby Brissett on the depth chart, Maye’s skills and talent have been evident in offseason practices, fueling excitement among fans and coaches alike.

As the Patriots undergo significant renovations, Maye’s selection and development are seen as crucial to the team’s future success, with many eagerly awaiting his first start, which is yet to be determined amidst his ongoing competition with Brissett for the top quarterback spot. However, sometimes fans wonder where Maye gets all this determination to leave a mark in the NFL. Well, the source is none other than his own family’s support including his three athlete brothers.

Meet the three brothers of Drake Maye

The UNC football quarterback, who was just picked by the New England Patriots, was born on August 30, 2002, to Mark and Aimee Maye. He has three siblings: Luke, Cole, and Beau who have established their own sporting careers,

Maye is the youngest of four children. The brothers Cole (born June 6, 1998) and Beau (born June 11, 2001) are the next in order of birth, with Luke being the oldest on March 7, 1997. Their mother Aimee told ESPN that her son Luke “set the standard” for his siblings because he was the oldest. Maye, Aimee continued, grew up in his brothers’ shadows and tried to prove himself as an athlete every single time. The Tar Heel legacy in the family is actually rather strong.

“His heart just beat faster than the rest of them because he knew he was really in the game of his life here,” she said, noting Maye’s thought process. As she explained, Maye was aware of his “right to play” be it “the pickup game in the driveway or to play football in the backyard.”

Luke

From 2015 to 2019, Luke was a member of the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team, which won the national title in 2017. With a significant legacy at UNC, he even made headlines during the Elite 8 game when, with just 0.3 seconds remaining, he made the game-winning jump jumper that ultimately led to their triumph.

In an interview with ESPN, Maye revealed that he felt as though he was always in his brother’s shadow while attending Carolina. He recalled that when he and Luke were out on campus together, people would approach them but would only ask for a picture of Luke.

Cole

When it came to his college athletic career, Maye’s second-oldest brother Cole chose to attend the University of Florida (but he still supports UNC when his siblings play!). According to his bio on the school website, he enrolled in Florida early after graduating from high school in December 2016 and made his baseball team debut in March 2017. According to Maye’s bio on the UNC website, he won an NCAA baseball title while he was a member of the squad.

Beau

Beau joined the UNC basketball team at Carolina, continuing Luke’s legacy. According to Tar Heel Times, he was a walk-on when he first joined the team and contributed two rebounds in the 2022–2023 basketball season. However, he did not play in the 2023–2024 season.

Well, being a family of athletes, Drake Maye and his brothers have always been very competitive with each other. Starting from golf to playing pickleball, everything is a competition for them as ESPN has noted in a feature. Besides Maye himself has explained, “[Having] three older brothers, everything we’re doing, we’re trying to win. I think it’s kinda part of who we are and we embrace it and we love it.” Even their father Mark mentioned that his son Maye was the one who would constantly engage in “smack talk,” and Aimee concurred, saying that she saw their rivalry as a “good thing.”

Maye’s brothers are there for him no matter what, whether it’s cheering him on during his games at Carolina or celebrating his selection by the Patriots. And love is reciprocal! Maye said that the night was particularly memorable since his brothers, who he referred to as his “best friends,” were there to support him after being drafted.