โThe Pats are back, baby,โ Maye said. โNow, gotta win one.โ
Playing through a snowstorm in the second half, Maye only threw for 86 yards and ran for 65. Stidham had 133 yards passing and one TD, one interception and the one costly fumble.
The grounds crew was kept busy during the AFC Championship game.Credit: AP
The 23-year-old Maye, a finalist for NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, will become the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl behind Dan Marino. Heโs the fourth second-year QB in the past seven years to lead his team to the NFL title game. Patrick Mahomes (2018) won it while Joe Burrow (2021) and Brock Purdy (2023) lost.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a linebacker for the Patriots in the 2000s, turned the team around in his first season as coach. New England went from 4-13 last year under Jerod Mayo to 14-3.
Vrabel is trying to become the first person to win a Super Bowl as a head coach and player for the same team. Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy and Doug Pederson won Super Bowls playing for one team and coaching another.
โI canโt tell you how proud I am to be associated with these guys and this organization,โ said Vrabel, who is a finalist for NFL Coach of the Year. โI wonโt win it. Itโll be the players thatโll win the game, I promise you. It wonโt be me thatโll win it and I promise you Iโll do everything that I can and our staff to have them ready for the game.โ
No team has played in the Super Bowl more than the Patriots, who are 6-5. Theyโre tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most wins.
More to come …
AP
