Drake Maye studied Aaron Rodgers on YouTube, now he’s the NFL’s next star
NFL quarterback Drake Maye has emerged as a rising star after modeling his playing style after veteran Aaron Rodgers. Maye's rapid development in his second season has drawn comparisons to his childhood idol, marking a significant transition in the league.
Why it matters
Highlights the influence of veteran athletes on the next generation and tracks the development of emerging sports talent.
When Drake Maye was nine years old, he watched Aaron Rodgers dismantle the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. That game didn't just stick with him. It shaped him. Maye started studying Rodgers obsessively, right down to his throwing motion and pregame warmup routine. Fast forward to 2025, and the same kid is now an NFL starter, getting compared to Rodgers by opposing coaches, while Rodgers himself is winding down what could be his final season at 41.How did Drake Maye become so obsessed with Aaron Rodgers growing up?It wasn't just casual admiration. Maye carried an Aaron Rodgers phone case for years. He would pull up warmup clips on YouTube trying to decode how Rodgers gripped the ball and released it. "Shoot, it's hard to emulate the way he spins it. I mean, he spins it with the best of 'em," Maye said recently.
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