NASA chief has hilarious response to NFL player who doubts whether astronauts really landed on the Moon

One giant leap for mankind is a point of skepticism for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye – and NASA's chief had a hilarious response to his doubts. Maye, 24, was asked by a fan Monday on WEEI Sports Radio 93.7 Boston to name a conspiracy theory he “actually kind of secretly believes in.”After briefly contemplating one that wouldn't be “too controversial,” Maye named on the moon landing.“I don’t know about the moon,” Maye said.“I think I can see back in the day why we would put on the mask if we went there, but I’m not really sure 200% if we went there or not,” he continued. “I wouldn’t say I’m leaning one way or the other. I just know I’m a little bit skeptical.”New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye said Monday that he is ‘a little bit skeptical’ of the 1969 moon landing (AP)His comments caught the attention of NASA chief Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur, pilot and commercial astronaut, who became the agency's 15th administrator in December 2025.“I quite literally have the receipts,” Isaacman responded Wednesday on X, sharing his response to a news story about Maye's comments.The quarterback's skepticism taps into one of America's most enduring conspiracy theories: the idea that NASA never actually put astronauts on the moon and instead staged the historic Apollo 11 mission on Earth.One version of the theory, brought up during Maye’s interview, claims legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick helped NASA fake the landing, with believers pointing to similarities between the Apollo footage and his 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey.”Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur and NASA’s 15th administrator, offered a hilarious response to Maye’s remark on X (Reuters)There is no credible evidence that Kubrick was involved in staging the moon landing.Maye isn't the first NFL player to publicly question the moon landing. Former Rams and Dolphins defensive end William Hayes said in 2017 that he believed the moon landing was fake, while Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown questioned whether humans had actually been to the moon in 2023. Brown's teammate, tight end Dallas Goedert, also questioned whether the footage of the landing was legit.NBA star Stephen Curry also made similar comments in 2018 but in 2022, he said he was joking and that he believes the moon landing happened.Maye, at least, has been less skeptical on the football field. The quarterback had his best game of the new 2026 season Sunday, throwing for a season-high 269 yards and three touchdowns in the Patriots’ 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills.The Patriots will host the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.