An accompanying storyline to Drake Maye’s ascension with the Patriots in 2025 has been his wife, Ann Michael Maye, gaining popularity for her viral baking videos on TikTok.
And Monday night in Santa Clara, with a throng of reporters surrounding him as the annual media frenzy began ahead of Super Bowl 2026, Maye gushed over Ann Michael — who he began dating when they were 12 years old — as being the “better half of me” as he was asked to rank some of her baked goods.
“Cinnamon roll snickerdoodle, she just made those for the linemen this week, that’s my No. 1,” Maye said. “I’ll put Puppy chow, that’s No. 3. Pistacchio bread — I think it’s good, I’m not a fan, and the crumble copycat … I’ll put that at 2.”
Ann Michael, who has amassed 512,000 followers on TikTok, saw her brand skyrocket around the holidays with her “Bakemas” video series — which led to her announcing a new show, “Beyond Bakemas,” with NBC Sports earlier this month.
Maye told reporters Monday that Ann Michael “makes something special everyday.”
Maye also joked that he’s “not great in the kitchen” beyond making a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich in the morning.
“Just keep being you,” Maye said of his message to his wife. “You’re the better half of me. I love you, keep being you. It’s a special moment for me to follow your journey. Just keep going. I know that you do it for something other than yourself and that’s what makes it special.”
“What a blessing it’s been to have Ann Michael,” he later added. “Just knowing there’s a constant in my life and that’s my wife.”
That coincided with Maye’s emergence in the former No. 3 overall pick’s second season.
Maye threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions during the regular season, helping the Patriots go from 3-14 last year to 14-3 — and the No. 2 seed in the AFC — this year.
The numbers also cemented his place in the MVP conversation.
But entering the Super Bowl week, an injury question looms over Maye, as he didn’t practice Friday — after being a limited participant the previous day — due to shoulder injury and an illness.
He told reporters Monday that he threw earlier in the day, and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels told reporters that he wasn’t concerned about the shoulder limiting Maye when the Patriots face the Seahawks on Sunday, according to the Boston Globe.