“Spoiled brats!”: Ben Affleck fires back at Patriots fans over their criticism of Drake Maye
The actor hits out at the harsh headlines directed to the 24-year-old quarterback
Ben Affleck has challenged the growing criticism surrounding Drake Maye , arguing that negative headlines and mounting pressure could make life even harder for the New England Patriots quarterback as he tries to regain his best form. The longtime Patriots supporter has watched expectations rise dramatically since Maye 's breakthrough 2025 NFL campaign, where he finished as the MVP runner-up and leading New England to the Super Bowl .
The quarterback entered the new season with the responsibility of sustaining the franchise's resurgence but instead, the opening weeks of 2026 have brought significant difficulties as the Patriots lost two of its first four games. With Maye 's turnovers and inconsistent decision-making becoming major talking points among supporters and local media, some cruel headlines have emerged and Affleck took particular issue one describing the quarterback as "Drake Maybe Not" as he defended the QBs ability and asking whether the press was helping the situation. “Drake Maye, you see how good a quarterback the guy is,” Affleck told New Heights. “You see what he’s capable of doing. It’s not like, all of a sudden, his skills have changed, right? I don’t know what the tools are. “I think part of it has to be that confidence is [something] you build on. And negative confidence takes you the other way. It doesn’t honestly help – New England is a very hard place to play. “Like I can remember getting so mad when The Globe would be beating the s**t out of, like, Pedro Martinez; I’m like, ‘Why are you s**ting on us. That’s the best f**king pitcher we have; why are you writing all about what an as***e he is. Write that about the Yankees.’ “I saw a headline the other day that was like ‘Drake Maybe Not’… That s**t don’t help, man. I mean, who are you rooting for?”
Drake Maye bids to turn season around against Las Vegas Raiders
The early-season statistics explain why concerns emerged. Maye threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter of a 13-10 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks after New England had built a 10-point lead. A subsequent 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars brought further problems, including two interceptions and two fumbles, one of which he lost, and those performances represented a sharp decline from his lofty numbers of 4394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. However, a victory over the Buffalo Bills offered evidence of progress as Maye completed 22 of 37 passes for 269 yards, three touchdowns and one interception and now New England now returns to Gillette Stadium to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, October 11. The Raiders present another demanding test as the team has started 3-1 under head coach Klint Kubiak after investing heavily in its roster during the offseason, committing a reported $235.3 million in guaranteed money during free agency. Tyler Linderbaum , Brock Bowers , Ashton Jeanty and Maxx Crosby headline a group assembled to raise the team's competitiveness as they pushed the Kansas City Chiefs hard before succumbing to a 30-27 loss. Kirk Cousins has also provided stability while the Raiders develop No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza so New England can expect a veteran rather than the rookie prospect, a challenge for their defense. But for Maye , Sunday's game offers another opportunity to demonstrate that his early-season performance was a post- Super Bowl slump and an exception to the rule, and Affleck will be backing him all of the way.
