An ugly end to Super Bowl LX left the brutal scrutiny that comes with a loss at the feet of 23-year-old New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. And yet, it was one of Maye's biggest critics, ESPN analyst and former NFL MVP Cam Newton, who issued the most sensible take on an overreaction Monday, following the Patriots' 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
"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. Drake Maye, message to you. I will allow myself, if I'm you, to feel every emotion of this game," Newton said on ESPN's First Take. "Are you disappointed? You should be. But understand this, this game wasn't just on what you did. ...This season was not a failure. You made leaps, strides and bounds to becoming an MVP candidate. ...It is only the beginning, not the end."
"I would allow myself, if I'm you, to feel every emotion of this game. Are you disappointed? You should be. But understand this, this game wasn't just on what you did. ... This season wasn't a failure. You made leaps, strides and bounds to becoming an MVP candidate. ... It's only… pic.twitter.com/YkRKLfiNPQ
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 9, 2026
Maye struggled in his first Super Bowl appearance, going 27-of-43 passing for 295 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He turned the ball over three times, including a strip sack fumble and a pick-six.
The Patriots' offensive line proved to be no match for the Seahawks' defensive front. Rookie offensive tackle Will Campbell gave up 14 quarterback pressures, according to Next Gen Stats. Maye had an average of 2.56 yards to throw in the first half of the game.
The level of difficulty was impossibly hard for a quarterback only in his second NFL season.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Cam Newton sends strong message to Drake Maye after Super Bowl LX loss