New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is enjoying a standout second season in the NFL.

The 23-year-old finished the regular season with the fourth-most passing yards in the league—trailing only elite veterans Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff, and Dak Prescott—while leading the Patriots to a 14–3 record and the AFC East crown along the way.

After knocking off the Los Angeles Chargers in last weekend’s wild-card round, Maye and company now turn their focus to a divisional playoff showdown with the Houston Texans on Sunday.

As it turns out, the groundwork for Maye’s 2025 success was built on the pickleball court alongside offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who returned to New England last January under newly hired head coach Mike Vrabel.

"Before Maye and McDaniels shared X's and O's that have made them one of the NFL's most explosive QB-coordinator duos this season, they played pickleball together and dined at McDaniels' home, with quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant joining them," wrote ESPN NFL reporter Mike Reiss in a web story on Jan. 11. 

It’s a fascinating detail that further reinforces the idea that America's fastest-growing sport can be an effective way to connect with someone and gain insight into who they are.

Maye is a self-proclaimed “huge pickleball player” who truly enjoys the sport, and McDaniels shares that same appreciation, making the activity a perfect fit for both of them.

"Who won those pickleball games remains top secret. Nonetheless, the "thwack!" was symbolic in the sense they had both taken hits and were motivated, after being on divergent paths last season, to reignite their careers together," wrote Reiss. "Maye was coming off a 4-13 season as a rookie that led to a coaching change in New England, and McDaniels found his "peace and joy" before returning to the NFL for the first time since being fired as Las Vegas Raiders head coach in October 2023."

Quite the shift in fortunes.

The Patriots even equaled the 1999 Indianapolis Colts and 2008 Miami Dolphins for the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history—and their run is still alive.

And it’s pretty cool that pickleball played a part in it.