How Patriots’ Drake Maye and Will Campbell built friendship beyond football

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How Patriots’ Drake Maye and Will Campbell built friendship beyond football

Mark Daniels · MassLive

Thu, Feb 5, 2026 ·

3 min read

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. – When the Patriots drafted Will Campbell , he told the media he was willing to die to protect his quarterback.

That was the start of a good friendship, and the bond between Drake Maye and his rookie left tackle only grew throughout this NFL season. With the two friends set to play in Super Bowl 60, Maye and Campbell spoke about their relationship on Thursday.

Maye said it was easy to relate to his teammate due to all the commonalities. Both have southern drawls. Both were picked in the top five of the draft.

“The biggest thing all year is we were kind of in the same boat,” Maye said. “He was a first-round draft pick, left college early, and grew up in the south. He’s got the same southern accent. He sounds a little more country than I do. He’s up here, living for the first time in the north. He probably hasn’t seen snow, maybe at all his entire life, and now he’s driving in it. I tried to find time and a place for me to welcome him to our team, the Patriots. He’s been huge for us.”

This offseason, the Patriots prioritized their offensive line. Last year, the team’s pass protection struggled, and Maye paid the price. After signing veteran right tackle Morgan Moses and center Garrett Bradbury , drafting Campbell in with the No. 4 overall pick was a no-brainer.

When Campbell moved to Massachusetts, Maye was quick to reach out, and the pair connected immediately. They hang out off the field, get meals together and have been to the TD Garden to watch the Celtics this season.

“He’s just a good dude. Very relatable,” Campbell said. “I guess you can say the southern part of us, too. He was very welcoming to me whenever I got here. He was obviously in the same position as me last year, so I’m grateful for him.”

Campbell said they bonded over football, but off the field, it was nice to have a friend. The rookie said he appreciates that he can always be honest with Maye – whether it’s about football or life.

On Sunday, he’ll play a big part in the Patriots’ Super Bowl as he protects Maye’s blindside.

The quarterback noted that he and his friend can also poke fun at one another. Maye’s grateful that Campbell has his back.

“He’s always pretty grumpy. He’s fun to be around,” Maye said. “He’s got little sarcastic comments. He doesn’t take any crap. That’s the biggest thing I like about Will. On the field and even off the field. I tell him he’s my rook. He doesn’t go for it, but I’m going to remind him my whole career.”

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