Drake Maye and his wife, Ann Michael Maye, are putting down roots in New England in more ways than one.
Days before Maye and the New England Patriots begin another NFL season, the quarterback and his wife have landed a major new partnership away from the football field.
L.L.Bean announced Wednesday that Drake and Ann Michael have signed a multi-year partnership with the Maine-based outdoor retailer, officially welcoming the couple as the brand’s newest “Team Members.”
It’s a partnership that feels particularly New England.
The Mayes, both North Carolina natives, have quickly become one of the region’s most recognizable young couples since the Patriots selected Drake with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Now they’re partnering with a company that has been synonymous with New England for more than a century.
And L.L.Bean isn’t simply putting Maye in an advertisement and calling it a day.
The multi-year deal will feature both Drake and Ann Michael, with the company planning storytelling around their new life in New England, outdoor traditions and the experiences they’re creating as they make the region home.
Drake and Ann Michael Maye Become L.L.Bean’s Newest Team Members
The partnership debuted with exactly the kind of New England wardrobe one might expect.
Flannel.
In a new video introducing the couple, Maye jokingly gets straight to the point.
“Being a quarterback is nice and all, but you know what I really love? Flannel,” Maye says.
The campaign also gives Ann Michael a prominent role rather than positioning her simply alongside her husband.
L.L.Bean’s dedicated campaign page identifies her as a “content creator and media personality” and features individual looks from both Mayes. Drake highlights the company’s Scotch Plaid Flannel Shirt, while Ann Michael models its Quilted Field Jacket.
For L.L.Bean President and CEO Greg Elder, the couple’s growing connection to New England was part of the appeal.
“As Drake and Ann Michael build their life in New England, we’re proud to welcome them to the L.L.Bean family and help them feel at home,” Elder said in the announcement.
He added that their “love of the outdoors and commitment to family make them natural partners for L.L.Bean.”
It’s also notable that this is a deal with both Mayes.
Ann Michael has built an audience of her own through her baking and lifestyle content, while becoming an increasingly familiar presence around New England. The couple married in June 2025 after a relationship that dates back to their childhood in North Carolina.
Now, the L.L.Bean partnership gives them a chance to build something together off the field as Maye’s profile continues to rise on it.
Ann Michael Maye Opens Up About Their New Life in New England
The partnership is built around a simple premise: two North Carolina natives discovering the traditions of the place they now call home.
For Ann Michael, that connection starts outdoors.
“So many of the memories that mean the most to us come from being outside and spending time with the people we love, whether that’s on the football field, at the beach, traveling or just hanging out in the backyard,” she said.
“As we start this chapter in New England, we’re excited to make new memories here and have L.L.Bean be a part of them.”
The fit isn’t difficult to understand.
L.L.Bean was founded in Maine in 1912 and has spent more than a century building its identity around outdoor life in New England. The company remains headquartered in Freeport, Maine, where its flagship retail campus has become a destination in its own right.
Maye, meanwhile, has gone from a North Carolina quarterback arriving in Foxborough as the potential future of the Patriots to one of the most recognizable athletes in the region.
Now he and Ann Michael are becoming part of a decidedly New England institution.
For Maye, apparently, that means one very important thing.
A lot more flannel.
Drake Maye, Ann Michael Maye Land Major New Sponsor