‘Humble’ Super Bowl QB Drake Maye drives same car he had in high school despite $37m NFL contact

Drake Maye is about to step onto the field for the biggest game of his life.

The New England Patriots quarterback led his team to Super Bowl LX in his first full season under center.

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At 23 years old (and 162 days on game day), he can become the youngest signal caller in NFL history to lift the Lombardi Trophy with a win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Regardless of what unfolds at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, though, Maye has the Pats in a good place.

The second-year star, who signed a rookie deal worth just shy of $37 million when he entered the league as the third overall pick in 2024, was just one vote short of landing the MVP prize too.

He threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and just eight interceptions as New England went 14-3 over the regular-season, and will surely only get better as time goes on.

But despite all that early success, and the millions he’ll make on his rookie deal, Maye remains humble.

Drake Maye still drives high school pickup truck

When they enter the league, many rookies choose to splash the cash on a statement purchase — perhaps a brand new house, or even a flashy car.

But Patriots quarterback Maye appears to have avoided spending on the latter.

He still drives a 2015 GMC pickup truck that served him well in high school, when he was growing up in the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The truck broke down off of Interstate 95 as he made a trip home around 12 months ago, but the NFL’s breakout star refused to part with the vehicle — even though his old Myers Park High football coach urged him to do so.

Instead, he got it fixed up, and still takes the same ride when he goes to work at Gillette Stadium.

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A new set of wheels is tempting, though, for a player who credits his mom for keeping him grounded.

“My mom’s always been on me about just staying humble and not buying the sports car,” Maye told the Washington Post three months ago.

“But… it is tempting.”

That rookie contract he signed in 2024 would go a long way towards a set of new wheels, should Maye so desire.

But despite an incredible season in New England, the star QB will not see any financial reward for this Super Bowl run, even if he does lift the Lombardi Trophy.

Why won’t Drake Maye land big Super Bowl bonus?

His four-year rookie deal was worth a fully-guaranteed $36.6m, and Maye made around $8.4m this season between his signing bonus, roster bonus and base salary.

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The face of the Pats franchise will get bumped up to around $10m in 2026 thanks to an increased roster bonus ($3.1m) and a higher salary ($1.1m).

However, playing on a rookie deal limits the incentives Maye can earn.

Rookie deals are structured by the wage scale, and the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) states a player’s salary ‘may not change’ based upon any contingency.

Contingencies include offseason workout participation, playtime honors, and all-important individual or team-based performance incentives, meaning Maye will not make any extra money from playing (or potentially winning) Sunday’s Super Bowl.

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Still, given he still drives that same humble pickup truck, he probably won’t be too upset. Instead, it’s all about the glory of lifting the Lombardi Trophy.

“A chance to play in this game is a dream come true,” Maye said on Thursday.

“It’s what you work for all year long… I’m looking forward to getting out there.”

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