FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will be in the spotlight when the 2026 NFL regular season kicks off Wednesday in a Super Bowl LX rematch with the Seattle Seahawks.
One of the organic trickle-down effects of Maye's rapid ascent to stardom is how his wife, Ann Michael, has seen her own profile skyrocket.
"It's something I didn't expect and wasn't trying to gain a following," Ann Michael told ESPN in a recent interview. "It's really cool in that it just happened in the most natural way. It's been fun to see the New England community rally around not just Drake but me as well.
"This whole world I'm in now, social media, this following, is something I didn't know anything about. So it's cool to see, day by day, the different opportunities that come in. I just did a Make-A-Wish and it was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. It's cool to see what comes knocking on my door. It has brought so many fun and awesome opportunities."
Another example of Ann Michael's rise: Her robust social media presence has businesses such as Dawn and Cascade building marketing campaigns around her -- a natural fit after her "Bakemas" TikTok series went viral last holiday season.
So that explains why Ann Michael took part in some media interviews in recent weeks, tying in the "superDISHions" theme with Drake's football superstitions.
"Game-day cooking for me, I love to make a loaf of sourdough bread in the morning. It makes the house smell so good, especially as it starts to get a little colder -- that's the perfect way to start off the game day," she said.
"Drake is kind of picky about what he'll eat on game days, but I'm always making little grab-and-go peanut butter energy balls. He loves those -- like the perfect snack, pretty light, not going to make him feel too full before a game."
Another of Drake's favorites, grilled cheese, wouldn't fit on the game-day menu. Fresh fruit and cookies with red and blue M&M's are a staple for guests, especially after games. And Buffalo chicken dip is another go-to choice for the Mayes, especially on Saturdays when watching college football.
Ann Michael is often cooking for a larger crowd of family and friends staying at their home, and she said one necessity is having the kitchen clean.
"Preparation is the biggest thing. I like to prep as many things as I can ahead of time, so when people are here, I can just enjoy their company and have fun," she said. "That's also when an effective and quick cleaning also comes into play, because obviously any time you cook I can do dishes like five times a day. The last thing you want to be doing is spending an hour cleaning your kitchen."
This is the family's third year in New England, and Ann Michael has come to appreciate the region.
"I didn't really know what to expect moving from North Carolina. That's where I grew up and went to college, so I was always there. Moving up here has been an adjustment, but it's been so cool to experience the community -- everyone has been so great and welcoming with open arms," she said. "I've tried to explore a lot of the different areas. One of the coolest things I've realized is there are so many states and places all so close together -- you can get so many places within driving distance. I went to New York for 24 hours [last] week, so that was so fun that I could do that."
They also attend events together when time permits.
"The sports culture here, having all the professional sports teams -- going to a Red Sox game, a Celtics game, Bruins, things like that has been super fun for us," she said.
Now, it's all about football season.
"I'm so excited for football to be back. I can't believe it's starting and feel like time has flown," she said. "After last season, it was such a fun season -- so many cool memories and opportunities. It obviously didn't end the way that we wanted, so I think that makes everybody more excited to get back and hopefully chase that same goal this year."
