The buzz around the New England Patriots‘ star QB Drake Maye hasn’t quieted down since the moment he stepped onto the field. Every throw, every read, every scramble has been dissected by a fan base desperate to know whether the rookie is the guy who will finally pull this franchise forward. And inside the locker room, players aren’t shying away from giving an honest temperature check. One of them who would know better than most is the New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns.
Burns has been up close, personal, and unfiltered in evaluating Maye’s early days. He’s not handing out participation trophies, and he’s definitely not babying the rookie. What he offered was the kind of candid assessment that tells you everything about how the veterans really see Maye. It is a blend of real praise, real concern, and real expectations.
Burns didn’t hesitate to highlight the raw tools first. “He’s talented. Talented arm,” he said, making it clear that Maye’s natural ability isn’t the question. But the Panthers star didn’t gloss over the uncertainties either. “I’m not really too sure yet about how quick he is to process everything, but I do feel like he makes the right plays at the right time. He does seem to be poised, maybe a little bit too poised, in the pocket… overall, he’s been showing his talent, for sure.”
That “too poised” line raised eyebrows, so Burns expanded. And this is where the honesty got sharper. When asked what he meant, Burns didn’t sugarcoat a thing. “I feel like, at times, he’s so caught up in making the right play or getting so caught up in his routes downfield, he just forgets about somewhat of who’s rushing him… It could be a bad thing, it could be a good thing.”
Burns made it clear that it’s a double-edged trait — admirable when things go right, dangerous when they don’t. “What I mean by poised is that he takes his time, he makes the right reads and he tries to make the right play. It can also bite you in the butt at a certain amount of times if you’ve got edge rushers coming and you’re not really too cognitive of where they are.”
The takeaway? Maye’s calm is real, but the NFL is ruthless. Burns’ words weren’t a warning shot. They were a veteran’s way of saying, This league punishes slow recognition and blind trust in structure. If Maye wants to keep earning that locker room’s respect, he’ll need to sharpen that internal clock before the regular-season wolves come hunting.
Drake Maye’s 2025 season has turned into a full-blown breakout. He has already thrown for 3,130 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only 6 interceptions, production that reflects both efficiency and control in an offense that has steadily opened up for him. His 110.6 passer rating places him among the most efficient quarterbacks in the league.
And he even delivered a signature performance when he completed more than 91 percent of his throws against Tennessee. He broke a long-standing franchise record once held by Tom Brady. According to ESPN, at 91.3 %, Maye bested Brady’s mark of 88.5 % set in December 2009.
These numbers are not empty stats. They are the statistical profile of a young quarterback climbing fast and proving he can carry a team.