Patriots Fly West: Drake Maye Ignites Crowd at Super Bowl LX Send-Off
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The dynasty didn’t die. It just needed a reboot. As the New England Patriots boarded the plane for San Francisco this afternoon, the mood at Patriot Place wasn’t just hopeful—it was electric.
Thousands of fans braved the freezing February drizzle to send the AFC Champions off to Super Bowl LX. The destination? Levi’s Stadium. The mission? A rematch with the Seattle Seahawks, exactly 11 years after Malcolm Butler broke Seattle hearts in the desert.
Coast to coast ✈️@Toyota | #SBLX pic.twitter.com/0vwzJaoEuP
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 2, 2026
But this isn’t about ghosts of the past. It’s about the guy holding the microphone.
Maye’s Command
Quarterback Drake Maye, fresh off a 31-touchdown regular season and a gritty AFC Championship win over the Broncos, didn’t look like a second-year player. He looked like the mayor of Foxborough. Standing on the rally stage, Maye laughed off the pressure that usually crushes young QBs in this town.
The numbers back up the swagger. After the Patriots stumbled to a 4-13 finish in 2024, the 2025 turnaround to 14-3 has been historic. Maye threw for nearly 4,400 yards this season, silencing critics who said the roster lacked firepower. The addition of veteran receiver Stefon Diggs gave Maye a safety valve, but it was Maye’s legs—450 rushing yards and 4 TDs—that terrified defenses down the stretch.
“We know where we’re going. We know who’s waiting for us. Seattle is tough, they’re physical. But we didn’t fly 3,000 miles just to see the Golden Gate Bridge. We’re coming home with hardware.” — Drake Maye, Patriots Quarterback (at the rally)
The Vrabel Effect & The Rematch
You can’t talk about this run without mentioning Head Coach Mike Vrabel. Since taking the reins, he’s instilled a physical toughness that feels eerily familiar to the old days, but with a modern twist. The defense, led by Christian Gonzalez and a rejuvenated pass rush, suffocated the AFC’s best offenses in January.
Now, the narrative writes itself. Patriots vs. Seahawks. Super Bowl 60.
Seattle, the NFC’s top seed, brings a defense that flies to the ball. But New England has momentum. They just beat three top-five defenses consecutively in the playoffs. When the team lands in San Jose tonight, the hype cycle begins for real. But for a few hours in Foxborough today, it was just a party.
Next stop: The Bay Area.
Read More: FOXBOROUGH ERUPTS: Maye, Patriots Depart for Super Bowl LX with Scores to Settle
