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New England quarterback Drake Maye ripped his chin-strip off with a blank stare.
Seattle linebacker Uchenna Nwosu had just returned a 45-yard interception for a touchdown that gave the Seahawks the clinching score in a 29-13 victory against the Patriots in Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday. Things had gone from bad to worse.
"I'd like to have it back," Maye said in his post-game press conference. "I'd like to go back to the beginning and re-do it. There are so many plays that can decide and change the game … It comes down to who makes plays and who doesn't. They made the plays tonight."
That interception return was one of those plays.
Maye had three second-half turnovers in a rough Super Bowl debut. The second‑year quarterback took six sacks and did not look the part of the runner‑up in the NFL MVP race. It was a night to forget for Maye — and one that will be compared with some of the worst performances by a quarterback in Super Bowl history.
Is that fair? Let’s take a closer look at Maye’s rough night.
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Drake Maye's stats in Super Bowl 60
Maye finished 27 of 43 for 295 yards, two TDs and two interceptions, numbers that don’t look awful on the surface. Most of that, however, came in the fourth quarter when the Patriots were well behind the Seahawks.
Maye was 6 of 11 for 48 yards in the first half. He took three first-half sacks, and the Patriots had just 51 total yards in the half. He was 8 of 18 for 61 yards heading into the fourth quarter. Maye would take six sacks, and that would lead to turnovers in the second half.
They came at the worst times. A strip sack by Derick Hall, which was recovered by Byron Murphy, led to a TD pass from Sam Darnold to AJ Barner and a 19‑0 lead. Maye had his best throw of the night on a 35‑yard TD pass to Mack Hollins on the next drive.
After a defensive stop, Maye had a chance to lead another scoring drive. He sailed a pass into coverage to Seattle cornerback Julian Love, which led to a Seattle field goal. Nwosu’s pick‑six came on the next drive, which sealed an ugly second half for the second‑year quarterback.
Darnold was 19 of 38 for 202 yards and a TD, but he took just one sack. The Seahawks did not have a turnover in a game where that was the difference.
How much of this is on Maye? He led New England with five carries for 37 yards. The Patriots could not establish their physical running game, and the pass protection simply wasn’t there against an aggressive Seahawks front. New England had four pass plays of 20 yards or more, but three of those came when the Seahawks had a commanding lead.
Worst performances by a quarterback in Super Bowl history
That is always the knee‑jerk reaction after a Super Bowl, but it’s nowhere near the worst performance in Super Bowl history by a quarterback.
Craig Morton still holds that distinction on most lists. The Denver quarterback completed 4 of 15 passes for 39 yards with four interceptions in a 27‑10 loss to Dallas in Super Bowl 12. Granted, that was almost a half‑century ago.
New York’s Kerry Collins is a more contemporary example. Collins finished 15 of 39 for 112 yards and four interceptions in a 34‑7 loss to Baltimore in Super Bowl 35. Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon finished 24 of 44 for 272 yards, two TDs and five interceptions in a 48‑21 loss to Tampa Bay in Super Bowl 37 two years later.
So, yes, we have seen much worse in the Super Bowl. This was comparable to Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes in last year’s 40‑22 loss to Philadelphia. Mahomes finished 21 of 31 for 257 yards, three TDs and two interceptions. Like Maye, Mahomes took six sacks in that loss. The difference, obviously, is that Mahomes is a three‑time Super Bowl winner.
All of those Super Bowl duds share a common theme: the losing quarterback was overwhelmed by a superior defense, especially in the second half.
How will Drake Maye bounce back from Super Bowl 60?
John Elway and Cam Newton won the NFL MVP and played in the Super Bowl in the same season. Elway finished 14 of 38 passing for 257 yards, a TD and three interceptions in a 42-10 loss to Washington in Super Bowl 22. Newton finished 18 of 41 for 265 yards and an interception in a 24-10 loss to Denver in Super Bowl 50.
Elway took five sacks. Newton took six sacks. Seeing a theme here?
Maye – the runner-up behind Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in a tight NFL MVP race – can learn from the experience. We can hold off on the Tom Brady comparisons for now, but the trick for Maye will be taking that regular-season form, in which he finished with 4,394 yards, 31 TDs and eight interceptions with a league-high 72% completion percentage and applying to that postseason. Maye also needs to take fewer sacks, and that will come with experience.
In the playoffs, Maye finished 70 of 120 (58.3%) for an average of 207 passing yards per game with six TDs and four interceptions. This was also his first playoff run with first-year coach Mike Vrabel, and Seattle was favored in the game. Maye missed his first opportunity in the Super Bowl – but there is no question he is ahead of schedule with the Patriots. After all, Elway lost three Super Bowls and carried that before winning two to end his career.
To his credit, Maye did not give up either. After that pick six to Nwosu, the quarterback led an eight-play touchdown drive. It was too little, too late, but that goes to makeup.
Maye might get a re-do down the line. He will be ready for it.
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