Some stories feel scripted. This one feels personal — especially if you’re from Lake Norman or anywhere in North Carolina.
Drake Maye grew up right here. Huntersville roots. Lake Norman kid. Bailey Middle School. William A. Hough High School in Cornelius. Myers Park High School in Charlotte. College ball at UNC Chapel Hill. And now? He’s headed to the Super Bowl.
But here’s where it gets wild.
As a kid, Drake Maye grew up a Carolina Panthers fan. In 2016, he sat in the stands at Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in California, watching the Panthers take on the Denver Broncos. Like so many North Carolina kids, he wasn’t dreaming about being in the Super Bowl — he was just dreaming about football, cheering for his team, and soaking in the moment.
Now fast forward.
Drake Maye is headed back to the exact same stadium — Levi’s Stadium — but this time as the starting quarterback in the Super Bowl.
And the symmetry doesn’t stop there.
His New England Patriots beat the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship — the same team that beat the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
You truly can’t write this stuff.
A Lake Norman Story Before It Was a National One
Before the national spotlight, Drake was just a Lake Norman kid with big dreams and serious talent.
He went to Bailey Middle School, then William A. Hough High School in Cornelius, before transferring to Myers Park High School in Charlotte. He was a multi-sport athlete, competing in both football and basketball, and quickly became known for his leadership, competitiveness, and work ethic.
That growth continued at UNC Chapel Hill, where Drake Maye became one of the most electric quarterbacks in college football. In 2022, he led the entire NCAA in total offense, won ACC Player of the Year, and took home the Shaun Alexander Award. By the time he left Chapel Hill, he had cemented himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Tar Heel history.
For North Carolina fans, he wasn’t just a star — he was ours.
From Draft Night to the Super Bowl
In 2024, Drake Maye was selected third overall in the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots — the highest Patriot draft pick since Drew Bledsoe in 1993. A Lake Norman kid going top three in the NFL draft already felt surreal.
But it didn’t stop there.
In just his second season, Maye led the Patriots to their first division title since 2019 and a trip to Super Bowl LX. Along the way, he earned Pro Bowl honors, All-Pro recognition, and established himself as one of the league’s brightest young stars.
From Huntersville to Hough, Myers Park to Chapel Hill, Lake Norman to the NFL — the trajectory is unreal.
Why This One Hits Different for Lake Norman
This isn’t just a football story. It’s a local story.
It’s a reminder that kids who grow up in our schools, sit in our stands, and play on our fields don’t just go on to do big things — sometimes they go on to do historic things.
Drake Maye didn’t come from a football factory.
He came from Lake Norman.
From local schools.
From local teams.
From North Carolina communities.
He was a kid in a Panthers jersey at a Super Bowl.
Now he’s the quarterback walking into one.
Same stadium.
Different role.
Full circle.
And for Lake Norman, that’s something special.
Because sometimes the biggest stories in sports don’t start in stadiums — they start in neighborhoods, classrooms, and small-town sidelines.
