A New Era for the New England Patriots

The 2024 season has been nothing short of extraordinary for the New England Patriots. With a record of 14-3, a rising head coach, and a Super Bowl berth, the team is on the verge of making history. If they win the upcoming game, they could claim the solo lead for the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history. At the heart of this journey is Drake Maye, the young quarterback who has quickly become the face of the franchise.

Maye, the 2024 No. 3 overall pick, has made a significant impact in just his second season. His performance has put him one win away from etching his name into the annals of football history. As he prepares for his first Super Bowl appearance, it’s worth examining how he stacks up against other young quarterbacks who have started in the big game.

The Youngest QBs to Start a Super Bowl

On Super Bowl Sunday, Maye will be 23 years and 162 days old. This makes him the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl, just behind Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins in 1985, who was 23 years and 127 days old at the time.

The Youngest QBs to Win the Super Bowl

If the Patriots are victorious, Maye would become the second-youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl. Here are the other quarterbacks who led their teams to victory at a young age:

1. Ben Roethlisberger, Super Bowl XL
   
   Big Ben is the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl, achieving this feat in 2006 when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21-10. He was just 23 years, 11 months, and three days old at the time, making him the only signal caller of that age to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

2. Patrick Mahomes, Super Bowl LIV
   
   Mahomes led a stunning fourth-quarter comeback against the San Francisco 49ers, lifting his Chiefs to a 31-20 victory in Super Bowl LIV. At 24 years, four months, and 16 days old, he became the youngest to win Super Bowl MVP after his stellar performance.

3. Tom Brady, Super Bowl XXXVI
   
   Brady’s journey to becoming a legend began with this win, where he helped the Patriots beat Kurt Warner and “The Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis Rams 20-17. He was 24 years and six months old on the day of the game.

4. Russell Wilson, Super Bowl XLVIII
   
   Wilson and the “Legion of Boom” had no trouble dismantling the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII, leading to a commanding 43-8 win. He was 25 years, two months, and four days old at the time.

Second-Year QBs Who Have Won the Super Bowl

Maye could also make history by joining an exclusive group. There are four second-year quarterbacks who have both started and won the Super Bowl: Kurt Warner (1999), Tom Brady (2001), Ben Roethlisberger (2006), and Russell Wilson (2013).

Three other second-year quarterbacks have reached the Big Game but fell short: Dan Marino (1984), Colin Kaepernick (2012), and Joe Burrow (2022).