Kurt Benkert’s film review of Drake Maye is brutal
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert reviewed nearly every snap by Patriots QB Drake Maye, and didn’t sugarcoat what he saw.
The New England Patriots’ Super Bowl LX loss to the Seattle Seahawks sparked debate among fans and analysts alike. And it sent former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert back to the tape.
“Worse than I thought”: Kurt Benkert sounds alarm on Drake Maye
Benkert, who has built a following for his detailed quarterback breakdowns, released a 10-minute video dissecting Drake Maye’s performance in the Super Bowl, focusing almost exclusively on what went wrong for the young passer at the Super Bowl, and he verdict was harsh.
“This Drake Maye tape is worse than I thought,” Benkert wrote while sharing the breakdown. “There were wide open guys everywhere, even when he had time, he just wasn’t seeing it. It was the definition of a ‘seeing ghosts’ game.”
Benkert walked through nearly every Patriots passing snap, highlighting repeated moments where Maye bypassed open receivers in favor of tougher, tightly covered throws, or held onto the ball far too long.
According to Benkert, the issue wasn’t just pressure from Seattle’s defense, but Maye’s processing speed once that pressure arrived. On several of the sacks Maye took, Benkert pointed out clear check-downs or hot routes available before the pocket collapsed. Instead, Maye froze.
“The frustrating part is that the answers were there,” Benkert said in the video. “He had options to get the ball out and stay on schedule, and he just didn’t take them.”
#Seahawks S Julian Love before his INT of Drake Maye in the Super Bowl:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 11, 2026
“Classic young quarterback. As soon as the back foot hits, he’s going to where he wants, but he’s pausing for a second to confirm he’s open. He’s not blindly doing it like Stafford.”pic.twitter.com/GSofZP93Ut
Maye was sacked six times in the loss, costing the Patriots 43 yards and repeatedly killing promising drives. While Seattle’s defense deserves credit, Benkert emphasized that several of those losses could have been avoided with quicker decisions. On multiple plays, Benkert showed receivers breaking open underneath or across the middle, the kind of throws designed to neutralize pressure, while Maye’s eyes remained locked downfield.
“I just don’t know what’s going on,” Benkert said during one sequence, reacting to Maye passing up an easy completion while staring down a covered option.
While the review was unforgiving, Benkert stopped short of labeling Maye a lost cause. Instead, he framed the performance as a tough but revealing learning moment, one that exposes how thin the margin is for young quarterbacks, especially in the Super Bowl.
Drake Maye’s final message: 10 weeks until we are back … thank you fans … go Pats. pic.twitter.com/qoTZVjj5c1
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) February 10, 2026
Seattle’s defense wasn’t perfect, Benkert noted, but it was disciplined enough to capitalize when Maye failed to take what was given. For the Patriots, the takeaway is about development. Maye reached the Super Bowl in his first season as a starter, an accomplishment in itself, but Benkert’s breakdown serves to highlight just how much refinement remains.
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