Drake Maye impressed Aaron Rodgers with a ‘really cool’ gesture

“There’s something about having that respect and deference that I just really appreciate.”

Following his official NFL debut on Thursday night, Drake Maye stuck around for Aaron Rodgers’s postgame interview, seeking a chance to meet the Jets’ star quarterback.

The 22-year-old rookie waited nearby for the interview to end before approaching Rodgers, his arm outstretched for a handshake. “Big fan,” Maye said. “Best of luck.”

“I thought it was really cool that Drake stuck around to say hello,” Rodgers said on Tuesday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” revealing that he reached out to Maye on Instagram afterwards to express his appreciation. “It’s something definitely that I would have done as a young player to some of the guys I loved watching growing up.”

Although the Patriots suffered a humbling loss, it was still a memorable night for Maye, who told the Boston Herald that Rodgers was his favorite player growing up.

“There’s something about having that respect and deference that I just really appreciate,” Rodgers said.

The Patriots next face off against the 49ers in San Francisco on Sunday, with Jacoby Brissett remaining the starting quarterback.