The Undisputed Highlight of The Masters Was Drake Vowing to Get Back to the Super Bowl
Say what you will about Rory McIlroy cementing his legend and showing a mental toughness none of us could've imagined, fighting back to win his second straight Green Jacket after blowing the biggest 36-hole lead in the history of The Masters. Feel free to discuss the constant, nearly unprecedented changes to the leader board all day Sunday. Talk all you want about how we came within a centimeter of a playoff between the two best golfers in the world:
But generations from now, all anyone will remember from the 2026 Masters is the interview given by one Drake "Drake Maye" Maye.
Jim Nantz loves to wax poetic about whispers from Masters champions of the past echoing through the pines at Amen Corner. But this weekend, the blooms of dogwoods and azaleas shook with the words of this Super Bowl champion of the future. Seated next to our Queen, our King spoke the words their loyal subjects long to hear:
"… trying to prove to myself that I can get back and just have another year to get a chance at it. Everybody’s got the same goal this time of year — to get back to that game. I think knowing that we were there and had a chance at it’s just that much more fulfilling for me being able to reach that.”
If you have the 18 minutes to spare and you're so inclined to hear America's new favorite couple discuss how they picked out their Augusta National outfits and his recent haircut for a children's charity here's the interview in its entirety:
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But of course, that quote I posted is what it's all about.
The comp in a situation like this, an extraordinary quarterback talent leads his team to a Super Bowl early in his career but falls short, and never makes it back, is and always will be, Dan Marino. Of course there are others. Joe Burrow (so far). Jared Goff. Jimmy Garoppolo. Some MVPs lost mid-career and never made it back, like Steve McNair, Cam Newton and Matt Ryan.
Yet I love the fact Maye is fully aware of their legacies. And is fully prepared to confront that history head on. To pay any price, bear any burden. In his words, "to put in the work" in order "to get back to that game." Because it's all worth it. All the blood, toil, sweat and tears. The 2025 Pats had one of the great turnarounds in the Super Bowl era. They just couldn't close the sale against a better Seahawks team.
This approach, this steely-eyed determination and refusal to look away from the failures of Super Bowl Sunday are what's going to ensure he won't be the next Marino. He'll be the John Elway of his generation. Or more recently, Jalen Hurts. The QB who drinks from the bitter cup of disappointment, only to do what he had to end his redemption arc in triumph.
Seeing him and Ann Michael in the iconic shade of the green and white umbrellas is all well and good. But mark my words. Still at the tender age of 23 and already playing at an MVP level, it's only a matter of time that he return to ANGC as the Master of pro football. And start a tradition unlike any other all his own.
Giphy Images.
Giphy Images.All hail our King and Queen.