Drake Maye has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week following his resurgence at Highmark Stadium.
The New England Patriots captain completed 22-of-37 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns in last Sunday’s 29-26 AFC East upset against the Buffalo Bills. He added a team-high and season-high 54 rushing yards to lead the conference’s quarterbacks by the end of Week 4.
Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun and Kansas City
Chiefs punter Matt Araiza joined the QB as AFC Defensive Player of the Week and AFC Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively.
Entering last Sunday’s divisional matchup with one touchdown and seven turnovers on the campaign, Maye was intercepted once and lost a fumble on the lone occasion he was sacked in Orchard Park. But the 24-year-old delivered two scoring strikes to Romeo Doubs and hit the right glove of Efton Chism III for the game-winning TD with 1:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.
And with that, the unbeaten Bills went to 3-1 while the Patriots went to 2-2.
For the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, it marks the second career AFC Offensive Player of the Week honor. Maye finds himself the fifth quarterback in franchise history to get the call multiple times, joining 30-time winner Tom Brady, six-time winner Drew Bledsoe as well as two-time winners Matt Cassel in Tony Eason.
The North Carolina product also joins running back Willie Parker and tight end Alge Crumpler as the only Tar Heels to twice be named AFC Offensive Player of the Week during their careers.
A reigning second-team All-Pro who paced the NFL in passer rating and completion percentage on the way to Super Bowl LX, Maye will cross paths with the Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday. Kickoff at Gillette Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET.
