By Max A. Cherney
SANTA CLARA, California, Feb 8 (Reuters) – Drake Maye and the six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots flew to the heart of Silicon Valley to add a seventh banner to their Massachusetts stadium.
But after a bruising four quarters of football at Levi’s Stadium, the Patriots will leave with a different record: most Super Bowls lost, at six.
Maye, who hoped to become the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl in National Football League history, had to come to grips with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks – a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX where the Patriots emerged victorious.
In a tent erected in the San Francisco 49ers practice field, the teary-eyed young quarterback was downcast about the game’s outcome and voiced frustration with his inability to make the necessary plays to defeat Seattle.
“I’d like to go back to the beginning and redo it,” Maye said, adding that there were more plays than he could think of that he would like to do again.
The 29-13 scoreline reflected the defensive battle that unfolded, as the Seahawks chipped away at the Patriots.
Maye, the runner-up for regular season MVP honors, said that in spite of the loss he looked forward to playing for head coach Mike Vrabel.
“He’s somebody we all love playing for, and he’s a constant reminder of why we believe and why we show up to work, have an identity,” Maye said. “I know this sucks and it hurts.”
Vrabel, who joined the Patriots last year, led the team from a woeful 2024 to a first-place division finish with a 14-3 regular season record.
For his efforts in the remarkable turnaround and run to the Super Bowl, the NFL awarded Vrabel coach of the year.
“Part of our identity is not being a frontrunner. Just like every year someone is going to lose this game and we have to remember what it feels like and make sure that it’s not repeated,” Vrabel said.
SILICON VALLEY ROUT
Heading into Sunday’s game Maye had brushed off concerns about his fitness to play, but from the jump he struggled against the Seahawks hefty defense, which sacked him six times.
He threw two interceptions and was unable to put Patriots points on the board until the fourth quarter.
“There are too much plays in the first half where I feel like I could have made a better throw or make a better decision,” Maye said. “It comes down to who makes the plays and who doesn’t and they made plays tonight.”
But for Vrabel, Sunday’s performance at Levi’s Stadium would give the team a reason to bounce back next season.
“I’m proud of everything that they did. I’m disappointed just like they are,” Vrabel said. “And that it’s OK to be disappointed. We have to be disappointed and upset together …
“Just like every year someone is going to lose this game and we have to remember what it feels like and make sure that it’s not repeated.
“And like I always do, I tell them I am appreciative of them and thankful and grateful that I get to coach them.”
(Reporting by Max A. Cherney in Santa Clara; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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