Patriots

Watch: Kofi Kingston gives Drake Maye custom Patriots-themed WWE title belt

"We wanted to welcome you to Pats Nation," Kingston said. "We're going to do it with like a WWE-type twist, if you know what I'm saying."

By Khari Thompson

April 26, 2024

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Email
• 1

Drake Maye received a shiny gift from a WWE star shortly after he was drafted by the Patriots No. 3 overall Thursday night.

Kofi Kingston, who attended high school in Winchester and graduated from Boston College, presented Maye with a customized WWE title belt complete with a Patriots logo front and center.

“We wanted to welcome you to Pats Nation,” Kingston said. “We’re going to do it with like a WWE-type twist, if you know what I’m saying.”

Maye was excited to see Kingston, whom he grew up watching. Maye said he is a WWE fan and grew up playing the video games.

“Oh man, how about this?” Maye said when Kingston brought out the belt. “You’ve seen one of these before, haven’t you?”

Maye asked Kingston what would be the best way to wear the belt, before eventually deciding to place it over his shoulder.

The belt was just a part of the reaction to Maye’s selection on social media.

Former Patriots receiver Julian Edelman weighed in, writing: “If you build the right ecosystem around this kid, he’s got a chance. Lots of room to grow as a player.”

ESPN’s Robert Griffin III, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2012 draft, wrote: “Drake Maye has everything you want from a franchise QB. Strong Arm, playmaking ability, can throw from any platform and doesn’t back down when adversity strikes. He just wants to play ball and compete. Now he does it for the storied Patriots in the post Brady Era. Go get it!”

Texans quarterback CJ Stroud said that Maye is his favorite quarterback in the draft.

“It’s hard to just pick one, but I feel like Drake Maye is,” Stroud said. “If you watch his tape, his arm talent jumps off. He’s one guy -like to me one mistake that I made early on was that I moved around too much. I didn’t get the ball out on time. I started taking risks that weren’t even risks down field or necessarily scrambling. If you watch his tape, he scrambles when he needs to, he throws guys open.”