Drake Maye became the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl when he faced the Seahawks in Super Bowl 60. Unfortunately, after a 29-13 setback in which he struggled against Seattle’s defense, Maye, 23, is now also the second-youngest QB to lose a Super Bowl.
Hall of Famer Dan Marino was also 23 when he led the Dolphins to defeat in Super Bowl 19, a 38-16 loss to Joe Montana and the 49ers. Like Maye, he was in his second season. Marino was the MVP in the 1984 regular season before the playoffs, while Maye was the MVP runner-up in 2025.
With Marino emerging as an all-time great passer quickly, it was expected he would return to the Super Bowl at least once—and maybe several times—to give Montana a natural big-game rival. Instead, Marino played 15 more seasons and never won another AFC championship with Miami.
SEAHAWKS WIN SUPER BOWL 60:
Meanwhile, Ben Roethlisberger was 23 on the Steelers team that won Super Bowl 40 over the Seahawks. He went on to win a second ring in Super Bowl 44.
So the question is: Does the loss to the Seahawks set up Maye for another “tough no-ring” scenario, or can the Patriots count on returning to the Super Bowl with him at quarterback?
It’s hard to say now, but let’s consider the other second-year QBs who joined Maye, Marino, and Roethlisberger in starting a Super Bowl.
Kurt Warner was the first to win, with the 1999 Rams in Super Bowl 34. Then came Tom Brady, whose Patriots upset Warner’s Rams two years later in Super Bowl 36. The other second-year winner was Russell Wilson, who led the 2013 Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl 48.
Unfortunately, Maye now joins Marino, Colin Kaepernick, Joe Burrow, and Brock Purdy– fellow second-year QBs who lost their first Super Bowl trips. Excluding the two 49ers, who lost close games, Maye most closely resembles Marino and Burrow.
Burrow’s Bengals lost Super Bowl 56 to the Rams, 23-20, and were hammered by the defense. He faced Aaron Donald and the Rams’ pass rush, which tied a Super Bowl record with seven sacks — Donald and Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller had two each.
Maye was sacked six times by the Seahawks. He also threw a pick-six as part of two interceptions and lost a fumble under pressure. Likewise, Marino was sacked four times by the 49ers and threw two interceptions.
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Burrow is still active, giving him a chance for a Super Bowl return. But repeated punishment and a combination of offensive line and defensive shortcomings have limited his championship prospects.
The Patriots, on paper, appear poised to remain long-term AFC contenders with Maye at QB and Mike Vrabel as head coach. But nothing is guaranteed in the NFL—New England should know this after going from 3-14 to 14-3 in just one year. Fortune can be fleeting.
Maye will enter his third season on his rookie deal, meaning the clock is ticking before the No. 3 overall pick of 2024 earns a lucrative long-term extension—a second contract that could restrict signing and retaining free agents while staying under the salary cap. Burrow’s extension handcuffed the Bengals’ ability to surround him with talent, particularly at wide receiver.
Marino signed an extension in 1986, three years after being drafted and less than two years after losing the Super Bowl. The Dolphins made him the league’s highest-paid player both times, limiting spending elsewhere.
Going into Super Bowl 60, there was talk of Maye channeling a second-year Brady and launching another Patriots dynasty with Vrabel coaching instead of Belichick. Now, Maye’s brutal loss casts doubt on that plan, given his struggles against tougher defenses leading up to the Seahawks.
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Maye also had the chance to emerge as the AFC’s consistent challenger to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, potentially winning a Super Bowl before Burrow, Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson. This past season was unusual, with Mahomes and Jackson absent from the playoffs. Concerns remain that Maye’s strong stats came against a favorable schedule, and he may regress in Year 3.
In 2021, before Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl, he led the league in completion percentage (70.4) and yards per pass attempt (8.9), but was sacked a league-high 51 times. In 2025, Maye also led the league in completion percentage (72.0) and yards per attempt (8.9) and was sacked 47 times — foreshadowing the 21 sacks he endured in just four playoff games through Super Bowl 60.
New England likely will improve pass protection, but Maye’s tendency to extend plays with his athleticism may always lead to a high sack rate.=
Warner, Brady, Wilson, and Roethlisberger were unflappable in their first Super Bowls as second-year QBs. Maye did not show that same composure, even compared with Burrow and Marino.
The Super Bowl and preceding playoffs are a different beast than the regular season. Ask Allen and Jackson — two recent non-Mahomes MVPs—who failed to reach the Super Bowl despite Hall of Fame credentials. Four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers is running out of time to earn a second ring. Cam Newton, Matt Ryan, and Matthew Stafford had their chances once — and that was it.
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Winning a Super Bowl as a top passer is difficult, which makes one appreciate Brady, Mahomes, and Montana all the more for executing in clutch playoff moments.
The 23-year-old Maye has time on his side — but so did Marino, and so did Burrow, who four years later is still chasing his first ring.
This is a great QB era. The AFC is loaded with elite passers and high-potential stars. Unfortunately, history suggests Maye is more likely to follow the path of Marino or Burrow than become the next Brady or Mahomes.
