Brutal Drake Maye verdict reached as Dave Portnoy fed up with 'putrid football'
Brutal Drake Maye verdict reached as Dave Portnoy fed up with 'putrid football'
David SchneidmanWed, September 30, 2026 at 2:11 AM UTC
0
Drake Maye was called 'the worst quarterback in the NFL right now' by Dave Portnoy -Credit:Getty
Dave Portnoy has lambasted New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, labeling him as the "worst" across the entire league this season.
Portnoy joined FOX Sports' Wake Up Barstool on Monday morning to discuss Sunday's Week 3 results in the NFL, and he delivered a scathing assessment of Maye — who has faced mounting criticism for his performances through the opening weeks of the campaign.
The Barstool Sports founder identified the Patriots signal-caller as "the worst quarterback in the NFL right now" who has delivered "putrid football" throughout the first three weeks of the new season, though he expressed confidence that the third-year star could still reverse his fortunes. It comes after Caleb Williams was blasted over his national anthem behavior on Monday Night Football.
• Terry Bradshaw snaps at FOX NFL Sunday co-star after being corrected live on air
• MAGA melts down over Monday Night Football national anthem in Chicago
In the Patriots' crushing 35-6 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3, Maye threw his league-leading fifth and sixth interceptions of the campaign.
"It's early to be writing off your football teams in apple-picking season," Portnoy said on Monday morning.
"I've seen it too much. I will not dispute that Drake Maye is playing putrid football. He's played putrid football all through the playoffs last year and this year he's playing putrid football."
"(The Patriots) were lucky to get a win despite him last week. This past week against the Jags, that score, it's not indicative really of the game because if he's not awful, it's a totally different football game," he continued.
Advertisement
Portnoy says Maye has been playing 'putrid football' since the 2026 NFL Playoffs -Credit:Wake Up Barstool/X
"The defense is good enough to win, but if you don't take advantage of your opportunities, you turn the ball over, you miss field goals, he misses a wide open touchdown pass."
Portnoy also had strong words about Maye, who finished second in MVP voting a year ago and led the Patriots to Super Bowl LX: "It is a staggering, stunning fall from grace."
Through three games in 2026, Maye has thrown just one touchdown pass alongside six interceptions, as New England has dropped two of its opening three contests.
The 2026 season has gotten off to a dramatically unexpected start, a far cry from the heights of Maye's breakout 2025 campaign, in which he emerged as one of the NFL's brightest stars, guiding the Patriots to a 14-3 record and the AFC East division title.
• Mariachi band member responds to wave of criticism from MAGA loons after national anthem
• Fired ESPN host lands new role after refusing to apologize over trans stance
Beyond the troubling numbers, Maye has appeared visibly rattled on the field, a world away from the composed, sharp decision-maker that earned widespread praise throughout 2025.
"He looks lost, confused, but you just don't magically go from the runner-up of the MVP and have a season in your second year, to this," Portnoy said.
"If this is the Drake Maye we have for the next 10 games, we have a quarterback problem in New England, something I couldn't have dreamed last year."
Source: “AOL Sports”
