Drake Maye had a brutal game in a blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 9. After a difficult start to the season, the New England Patriots quarterback had put together several encouraging performances before Green Bay’s defense brought some of those early concerns back to the surface.

As Maye struggled, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky posted a cryptic message that many fans interpreted as a victory lap about the quarterback. That sparked criticism from fans who accused Orlovsky of flip-flopping on Maye after previously praising his improvement.

Fans Accuse ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky of Flip-Flopping on Drake Maye

Orlovsky has offered both criticism and praise of Maye as the quarterback’s season has unfolded. Earlier in the year, he questioned Maye’s play during his rough start. As Maye improved, Orlovsky also credited the young quarterback for working his way out of the slump.

During Maye’s difficult performance against Green Bay, Orlovsky posted a short message that immediately drew attention.

“Tried to tell yall,” Orlovsky wrote.

Orlovsky did not explicitly say the post was about Maye, so it cannot be confirmed that the Patriots quarterback was the subject of the message. However, several of the fan reactions cited here interpreted it that way, particularly because it was posted while Maye was struggling against Green Bay. Those fans treated the post as a reference to Maye and criticized Orlovsky accordingly.

Some also accused Orlovsky of deleting earlier posts in which he had praised Maye. That allegation has not been independently confirmed, so it should be treated as a claim made by fans rather than an established fact.

“Deleted all your tweets praising Maye, then says ‘I tried to tell y’all.’ Ultimate flip flopper,” one fan wrote.

“This guy’s such a flip-flopper, Maye does good he [expletive] him off and when he does bad he says ‘see told ya’ [expletive] off Dan,” another fan wrote.

Maye threw three interceptions in the first half against Green Bay and nearly had another pass picked off before halftime. It was a major step backward after a stretch of steadier play, but the afternoon was not entirely negative. Maye still finished with 299 passing yards and three touchdowns.

The turnovers also drew scrutiny during FOX’s broadcast, which featured Patriots legend Tom Brady in the booth.

“When Drake Maye is good, Dan Orlovsky says, ‘I told you.’ During a bad game, he also says, ‘I told you.’ Make it make sense,” one fan wrote.

“Crickets any time you’re wrong [though] buddy. Take accountability and maybe we’d give you credibility,” another fan wrote.

Maye currently ranks No. 5 in PFN’s QB Impact Metric for the 2026 season. The 2025 NFL MVP runner-up has had his share of ups and downs this year, but New England remains firmly in the playoff race.

That context also makes Orlovsky’s changing evaluations easier to understand. He criticized Maye when the quarterback struggled early, then praised him as his play improved. Whether his “Tried to tell yall” post represented another reversal is ultimately an interpretation, but it was one that clearly frustrated many of the fans who responded to him.

“You are like 1 for 1000 in your estimations. Get a grip,” one fan wrote.

The Patriots now turn their attention to another NFC North opponent. New England will travel to Munich, Germany, to face the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Nov. 15.

Detroit has struggled against the pass for portions of the season, although its defense has shown improvement in recent weeks. That gives Maye an opportunity to respond immediately after the Green Bay loss, and, if fans were correct about what Orlovsky meant, a chance to answer the ESPN analyst against one of Orlovsky’s former NFL teams.