In July 2022, as Baker Mayfield prepared to join the Panthers, Emily Mayfield was back in Austin organizing a school supply drive. That fall, she helped lead a teen mental health workshop, and in 2023, she co-hosted Tampa’s “Be the Ball” fundraiser, distributing uniforms and backpacks to underserved kids. Her work through the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation has always focused on quiet, community-centered giving. So when she came across the story of Drake Maye and his wife donating all their wedding gifts to shelters, she didn’t simply scroll past it. 

Drake Maye married his longtime partner Ann Michael Hudson on June 21, in a private ceremony in their home state, North Carolina, where the two met as kids and later studied together at UNC. The couple had been dating since they were 12 until Maye popped the question this January and the couple tied knot soon after. 

Just days later, a story broke on 98.5 The Sports Hub when radio host Scott Zolak revealed that Maye and Hudson had quietly redirected every single wedding gift to children’s shelters and homeless centers in their hometown. “They didn’t tell anybody,” Zolak said on-air. “They did a lot of donating with the local kids shelters… some kids didn’t have the right size shoes, didn’t have Christmas stuff. They took their wedding gifts and sent them to the homeless and help centers down there. Everything they got — they forwarded it.” A few hours later, Emily Mayfield reshared a post from ESPN about the story on her Instagram Story with a 2-word message. 

At the top of the story,  she added “This rocks….” No emoji. No elaboration. Just a quiet endorsement from someone who’s been in those shoes — the ones that walk into shelters with no press release and leave with boxes unloaded.

After their wedding, Drake Maye posted a carousel of photos on Instagram: the ceremony, their slow dance, and a toast. He captioned it, “What a night! Cheers to forever 🥂 I love you!” Hudson replied in the comments: “Best day ever!!!! I love you ❤️❤️” Later, she shared a story of the two dancing to Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.” But there was still no post about the donation. No link. No callout.

It was an early glimpse of the kind of leader the Patriots might be getting. A QB who knows the game isn’t just about throwing for TDs, but about how you treat folks when no one’s looking.

Drake Maye is already making waves!

Before the act of charity, Drake Maye was already on the radar of the right people. The North Carolina star finished 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2022, which made him one of college football’s hottest names in no time. New England selected him to be the franchise face after Brady.

Head coach Jerod Mayo has called him “wise beyond his years.” Additionally, Patriots veterans have spoken of his coolness during times of pressure. Even when the media asked that, they saw Maye throwing some interceptions in the practice, Vrabel took the QB’s side. He said, “I care about every player’s performance and that we continue to improve. There has been great improvement. Everybody’s going to have a bad day. There’s a lot of reasons that go into it. We’re not going to analyze every single practice and have explanations for things that came up. The command, the operation, all those things have continued to improve.”

Maye’s gesture off the field only reinforced what the Patriots hope he’ll become on it—steady, grounded, and quietly accountable.