The New England Patriots are headed back to the Super Bowl and no one is more excited than Ann Michael Maye, wife of starting quarterback Drake Maye.
“WE ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!!!❤️💙❤️💙” she wrote via Instagram on Monday, January 26, alongside photos of the two of them celebrating on the field. “Words can’t even begin to describe how proud I am of you, #10!!!! Watching your dreams come true is the biggest blessing and I love you!!!!!”
The Patriots advanced to the NFL’s championship game by defeating the Denver Broncos, 10-7, in the AFC Championship game on Sunday, January 25. Drake, 23, threw for only 86 yards in the win, but also scored the team’s lone touchdown and scrambled for the game-deciding first down in the final moments.
After the game, Ann, 22, joined Drake on the field, where the two exchanged hugs and posed for photos. As video of the celebration began circulating, some fans noticed that Drake appeared distracted while Ann was trying to congratulate him.
“His body language is throwing me off,” one fan wrote via Instagram. “This was hard to watch. She was so excited for him.”
Another added, “He looks like he couldn’t care less that she’s there – and this is coming from a die hard patriots fan. It hardly looks like a couple celebrating going to the Super Bowl. Awkward.”
Once the adrenaline of the game wore off and Drake was able to look back on his team’s accomplishment, he was able to put the victory into perspective.
“It’s a new team, it’s a new era,” he told reporters. “I respect and appreciate what the Patriots dynasty did, and unfortunately, they didn’t come out with some wins here, but we changed that narrative and look forward to bringing our best football to Santa Clara. That’ll be pretty special.”
Ann, meanwhile, has won the hearts of Patriots fans as her husband’s biggest supporter. She wore a custom jacket to the game that featured Drake’s name, an illustrated photo of him, and his jersey number. It matched other Patriots WAGs, who wore similar gear.
“And one for the girls!!!!!!👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️,” Ann wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 27, alongside a group photo that also included Parker Henry, wife of Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, punter Bryce Baringer’s wife Bella, and linebacker Jahlani Tavai’s partner, Kalei Mau.
The Patriots now have a week off before they face the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on February 8. Drake and his teammates can use that time to get healthy, as head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t shut down rumors that his quarterback is dealing with a shoulder injury.
“There’s not a player on our team that’s 100 percent healthy,” Vrabel said in a Tuesday, January 27 appearance on WEEI Boston’s The Greg Hill Show. “I would imagine we will go through the injury report, and whenever we have to turn that in, we’ll turn it in. But nobody is 100 percent. This will be our 21st game.”
