A New England Patriots legend is urging fans to temper their expectations for quarterback Drake Maye as he enters his third season. Drew  Bledsoe knows a thing or two about being a franchise quarterback and the lofty expectations that come with it. Now, he wants Patriots fans to take it easy on Maye, as hr noted during an appearance on the “Up and Adams Show.”
The North Carolina product had a solid second season in the NFL. He threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The quarterback was able to take a second-year leap. He led the Patriots to the Super Bowl, and the team finished with a 13-4 regular season record.
Any fears of a sophomore slump hitting the quarterback were quickly debunked. The sky seems to be the limit for the quarterback, but Bledsoe is urging fans to temper their expectations for Maye.
“I think the one thing I would say to people out there is temper your expectations just a little bit,” Bledsoe said. “If your expectations are MVP and win the Super Bowl, that’s really, really hard. That’s really, really hard (to achieve) year in and year out.
“So just appreciate what this guy’s doing. He’s a very talented player. He’s gonna continue to get better. Let’s pull back and just appreciate who the guy is without necessarily putting the world’s craziest expectations on him going into the next season.”
Patriots Legend Knows About Pressure And Slumps
Bledsoe went through a similar situation. Bledsoe had a solid sophomore season of his own, he threw for 4,555 passing yards, which was a career-high. However, the Patriots went from 10-6 to 6-10 in 1995. The 1995 season represented a bit of a slump for the Patriots overall. This included a five-game losing streak from September 17 to October 15.
The Patriots were able to win some games in the process. At one point, they put together two straight wins against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. Â They went on to lose their final two games of the year later on. Overall, it was a rough year for Bledsoe and company, as the quarterback finished with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
The current iteration of the Patriots could suffer a similar fate. They currently have the six-hardest schedule in the NFL. It starts right away as well, as they open the season against the Seattle Seahawks. From there, they take on a host of games that will truly put them to the test.
Patriots Attempted Rebuild Once Before
Despite tempering expectations, there is no denying that the Patriots are in a better place than they were in their last quarterback rebuild. Quarterback Mac Jones was drafted by the organization in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Jones was thought to be the savior in the post-Tom Brady era.
Instead, he went on to struggle throughout the course of his tenure in New England. Inconsistencies and listings plagued Jones, and he was never able to build off of what was a stellar 2021 season. The Patriots went 10-7 that year, and they made the AFC Wild Card Game with a 47-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills being the end result.
Overall, the Patriots and Maye are in a better spot than they ever have been in the post-Brady era. Expectations are undoubtedly going to get a little bit higher, especially with the Super Bowl appearance under their belt.
Nevertheless, Bledsoeâs words should definitely be heard, as the Patriots are indeed still looking for a certain level of success, and expectations will be higher as a result. Tempering said expectations may never be a bad thing in the long run.
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