It turns out the Patriots have a Pro Bowler on their roster after all.
After the team’s offensive and defensive players were shut out of the NFL’s Pro Bowl games, rookie quarterback Drake Maye has been added to the Pro Bowl roster as an alternate.
This season, the Patriots had one Pro Bowl player in special teamer Brendan Schooler, who dropped out of the games due to surgery. Maye is the first Patriots offensive player to be named to the Pro Bowl since 2021 when then-rookie quarterback Mac Jones was named to the team as an alternate.
The NFL revealed the Pro Bowl rosters earlier this month. At quarterback, Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson were named for the AFC. Allen was named the AFC starter, however, the quarterback suffered a wrist injury during the Bills AFC Championship loss to Kansas City and said he wasn’t sure if he would participate in the NFL games.
In the end, Allen and Jackson pulled out of the Pro Bowl. They were replaced by Maye and Russell Wilson.
In 13 games, Maye completed 66.6% of his passes for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The No. 3 overall pick looked the part of a future franchise quarterback. He also added 421 yards on the ground to go with two rushing touchdowns.
Maye’s potential was part of why Mike Vrabel wanted to come to New England. The new head coach said he was excited to work with the athletic quarterback.
“He’s exciting, talented, ready to learn, and ready to continue to develop,” Vrabel told WBZ. “He’s athletic and mobile, has the ability to make throws to all part of the field with arm talent… There will be some new terminology and some carryover from what he’s had. I know that he’s ready to learn and is excited. We welcome that and want him to lead our football team.”
The NFL has changed the structure of the Pro Bowl. Starting Thursday, there will be the Pro Bowl Skills Show. There will be six competitions – Passing the Test, Satisfying Catches, The Big Spike, Relay Race, Helmet Harmony, and Dodgeball. That will air from 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.
On Sunday, at 3 p.m., there will be the AFC vs. NFC flag football game. That can be vied on ESPN and ABC.
The Patriots didn’t have a single Pro Bowler last season. In 2022, they were represented by Matthew Judon. In 2021, they had three players voted on initially with Judon, Matthew Slater, and J.C. Jackson. Eventually, Jones was named an alternate at quarterback.
Now, Maye is the latest Patriots player to earn the honor.
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The Super Bowl is set! The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will square off in New Orleans ... and pick last in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.