The Classic Comfort Food Drake Maye Likes (According To His Wife, Ann)

The NFL's Drake Maye is having an MVP-caliber season, leading the New England Patriots back to the Super Bowl after a seven-year absence. His performance has helped the Pats exceed all expectations, breaking a few of Tom Brady's records in the process. As it turns out, Maye's season might have been fueled in part by a couple of classic comfort dishes.

In a rapid-fire Q&A with NFL on NBC, Maye's wife Ann shared her favorite meal to make for the football superstar: "He's pretty picky, so he likes a solid like spaghetti, maybe a chicken caesar salad. Something like that. Always classic."

That first dish might come as a surprise if you're obsessed enough with Maye to watch everything Patriots-related. In a blind ranking of pasta shapes on the Patriots YouTube channel, Maye immediately ranked penne — not spaghetti! — as his top shape. Then again, Ann (a pretty accomplished food influencer in her own right) probably knows his palate best, so if she says spaghetti is one of his favorites, we believe her. As for Maye's fondness for chicken Caesar salad, there's no question that it's about as classic as you can get when it comes to veggie-based dishes.

If you're hosting a Super Bowl watch party, it might be fun to build the spread around some of the players' favorite foods. Drake Maye's top comfort foods are simple enough that they're an easy addition to any table. While Ann Michael Maye has yet to share the recipes for her husband's faves, you could make baked spaghetti to feed the Game Day crowd. Add some grilled chicken to a simple Caesar salad recipe, and you've got an approximation of Maye's go-to salad.

As for Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones, he told NBC Sports Boston that his top post-game meal is already something you'll find at most Super Bowl parties: chicken wings — specifically, dry-rubbed Cajun-style wings. You can serve these with a sauce made from teammate Brenden Schooler's favorite cheese, cheddar. Or, opt for bite-sized pieces of lemon chicken with pasta, which Patriots coach Mike Vrabel says is the best dish his wife Jen makes (via ESPN). You could also try making slider versions of Spillane Chicago Beef, created by Pollard's Test Kitchen in honor of linebacker Robert Spillane. The sandwich is made with roast beef on a toasted baguette and topped with scratch-made giardiniera.

You could even test the loyalty of the Pats fans in attendance by offering them one of Maye's more controversial food takes. The foods NFL players can't stop eating include some questionable choices, like Maye slathering ketchup onto his steak. While it's definitely a valid way to eat steak, you probably know a few people who turn their noses up at the idea. If they eat it anyway, you'll know that their love for the Patriots is true.