Stephen A. Smith has aimed a dig at New England Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye for his response to Cam Newton’s criticism. Newton, Smith’s colleague on ESPN’s First Take, had described the Patriots’ winning form as “fool’s gold,” prompting a response from Maye and coach Mike Vrabel.Responding to Newton, Maye claimed he’s not aware of the show Newton is on, suggesting he and his colleagues get paid to make comments. He said:“I don’t even know what show he’s on. I think they get paid to make remarks and make certain comments. We’re just worried about what people in our organization think and worried about what we think and my teammates think.”Smith came to Newton’s defense on Friday’s episode of First Take, calling Drake Maye a liar. He said:“[Drake Maye] is a liar. … ‘First Take’ is the number one morning show… Don’t tell me you’re an athlete and you don’t know that. Don’t tell me you’re an athlete and you don’t know that Cam Newton is on this show. You lying.”Before Maye’s comment, Vrabel had earlier issued a response to Newton, insisting the former quarterback is not his team’s focus. He said:“Nothing’s weird to me. Because people could come on the radio, you know? Whatever. It’s just things that get their attention, or we are okay with that. I promise you we were okay with anything that anybody says.”Cam Newton acknowledges Drake Maye’s brillianceDespite being critical of the Patriots’ success, Newton conceded that Drake Maye is playing well at quarterback, crediting the offensive coordinator’s efforts. It’s also clear that the Patriots quarterback holds Newton in high esteem, having imitated his Superman celebration earlier this season after a touchdown.Maye leads the league in passing this season with 2,836 yards for 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has an additional 285 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 70 carries.The North Carolina alum has been instrumental to the Patriots’ run this season, entering Week 12 atop the AFC East with a 9-2 record. The team is on an eight-game winning streak, which it hopes to extend next Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.Vrabel’s team will travel to Pyacor Stadium to face a Cincinnati squad that is 3-7 after 10 games this season. The game is set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.