Patriots’ Drake Maye in rare company as a second-year Super Bowl quarterback

Drake Maye’s rise has been one of the defining stories of the 2025 NFL season. In just his second year in the league, the New England Patriots quarterback has powered a dramatic resurgence, steering the franchise back to the sport’s biggest stage.

Now, with Super Bowl LX looming against the Seattle Seahawks - which you can watch live with a DAZN Game Pass subscription - Maye finds himself on the brink of history - not just for what it means to New England, but for how rare his achievement actually is.

That raises a natural question. How many quarterbacks have reached the Super Bowl in only their second NFL season?

We break down the list of nine signal-callers who, like Maye, have combined early-career poise with championship-level production.

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Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins (1984)

Marino set the template. In his second season, he rewrote the passing record book, throwing for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns in a league that still leaned heavily on the run.

Miami stormed to Super Bowl XIX, where Marino’s Dolphins fell to Joe Montana’s 49ers, but his individual brilliance signaled the arrival of a generational passer.

Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams (1999)

Technically in his second NFL season, Warner’s story remains one of the most improbable. After years outside the league, he stepped into the Rams’ lineup and led the “Greatest Show on Turf” to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory, throwing for 4,353 yards and earning league MVP honors along the way.

Tom Brady, New England Patriots (2001)

Brady’s second season marked the beginning of a dynasty. Taking over after Drew Bledsoe’s injury, he guided New England to a Super Bowl XXXVI upset of the Rams, introducing the NFL to the calm, efficient style that would define two decades of Patriots dominance.

Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (2005)

Roethlisberger followed up an unbeaten regular season as a rookie with a Super Bowl run in year two. Pittsburgh captured Super Bowl XL despite a statistically modest performance from their young quarterback, underscoring how strong team structures can accelerate early success.]

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (2013)

Wilson’s second season culminated in one of the most lopsided Super Bowls ever. Seattle dismantled Denver in Super Bowl XLVIII, and Wilson’s blend of efficiency and improvisation became central to the Seahawks’ short but dominant championship window.

Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (2018)

Goff’s transformation under Sean McVay was swift. After a difficult rookie year, he led the Rams to Super Bowl LIII in his second season, though the offense stalled in a defensive struggle against New England.

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (2021)

Burrow’s second season was defined by toughness and timing. Returning from a major knee injury, he guided Cincinnati to Super Bowl LVI, reviving a dormant franchise and cementing himself as one of the league’s premier young quarterbacks.

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (2023)

Purdy’s path was unconventional, but his second season ended on football’s biggest stage. Leading the 49ers to Super Bowl LVIII, he became the latest example of how system fit and surrounding talent can fast-track quarterback success.

Drake Maye, New England Patriots (2025)

Now Drake Maye joins that exclusive list. Whether he can follow Warner, Brady, Roethlisberger and Wilson by finishing the job remains to be seen. But history suggests that simply getting here in year two already places him among the NFL’s rarest early-career achievements.

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