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Drake Maye named to AFC's Pro Bowl roster as replacement for Lamar Jackson

New Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel on Drake Maye, high expectations
New Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel on Drake Maye, high expectations 04:36

FOXBORO -- Drake Maye's rookie season for the New England Patriots will end with the quarterback making a trip to Orlando, Florida for the NFL's Pro Bowl Games. Maye has been added to the AFC roster as an alternate/injury replacement, the team announced Tuesday.

Maye is replacing Baltimore's Lamar Jackson, according to the NFL. Buffalo's Josh Allen also backed out of the Pro Bowl, and has been replaced by Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson, who is now a Pro Bowler for the 10th time in his career. Allen was named the AFC starter while Jackson and Cincinnati's Joe Burrow were named to the initial Pro Bowl roster.

The NFL reportedly invited Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud to be a replacement but he declined, according to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime

Maye will be the only Patriots player to represent the team in the Pro Bowl Games, after special teamer Brenden Schooler backed out last week due to offseason surgery.

The 22-year-old Maye is the first offensive player from the Patriots to be named to the Pro Bowl since Mac Jones was also added as an alternate after his rookie season in 2021. The Patriots didn't have any players at the Pro Bowl Games last season.

Drake Maye's rookie season

Maye was one of the few bright spots on the New England roster in 2024, when the No. 3 overall pick completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns over 13 games. He set a Patriots rookie record with a touchdown pass in eight straight games, and Maye also showed off his wheels as he ran for 421 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.

But he did struggle with turnovers, as Maye threw 10 interceptions and lost a pair of fumbles. Overall, the Patriots were 3-9 across Maye's 12 starts during his rookie season. 

NFL Pro Bowl Games 

The NFL's Pro Bowl Games will be played in Orlando for the second straight year. The festivities will get underway Thursday with the Pro Bowl Skills Show, which will include six competitions: Passing the Test, Satisfying Catches, The Big Spike, Relay Race, Helmet Harmony, and Dodgeball. Those will air on ESPN from 7 p.m. to 8:30  p.m.

Then the AFC will take on the NFC in a flag football game on Sunday afternoon, which is set to kick off at 3 p.m.

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