Drake Maye was banged up during the week leading into the Super Bowl, and he even got a shoulder injection prior to the game. He felt that he was good to go. The world will never know what a truly healthy Maye would’ve looked like there, but it might not have mattered.
That game is done, and now Maye and the Patriots must look to the future. That future is bright, but only if Maye isn’t injured. Shoulder surgery after two seasons would not be ideal. Fortunately, Maye doesn’t think he’ll need it.
Drake Maye expects time to heal shoulder
The NFL season is long and grueling. Players get hurt all the time, especially ones who play deep into the postseason. Drake Maye and the Patriots ended up playing 21 games this year, four more than the regular season total allows.
“Time is the best healer,” Maye said, according to ESPN, on Tuesday in his final appearance before the team embarks on its offseason break. “I definitely just need time off. Nothing that needs anything to be done.” The QB expects some time not being hit and not throwing will help, which is a great sign.
He noted that his arm felt great all year. “I don’t think throwing was the (issue). It’s a case of having one hit in the AFC Championship Game that was unfortunate timing,” Maye added.
The second-year player also admitted that having two weeks to practice for the Super Bowl helped his shoulder heal enough to continue playing. Had they played one week after the AFC Championship, things might’ve been different.
Did the injury cause the loss? Maye doesn’t think so. He insisted after the game that he was fine, and he refused to blame his struggles on a hurt shoulder. Maye was 27 of 43 for 295 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in the loss.
“You can’t blame things on injuries. Things happen like this all the time in the league. I was blessed this year — what a year of health,” he said. You can’t zone in on one little thing on the shoulder — it was just unfortunate that it happened to be the throwing one. At the same time, I could have prevented it or made more plays. I was feeling like I was able to make throws in the game and was myself.”
Loss may hurt more
While Drake Maye’s shoulder is probably still hurting since he just played on Sunday, it’s maybe not hurting worse than his heart. He was emotional after the loss in his press conference, and he’s still down now.
“It stings. It’s going to sting for a while,” the Patriots star said. “It’s what makes this sport special. We were close, and you got to try to find that extra edge. I didn’t play as well as I would have liked down the stretch, but I’m going to promise to do my best to work hard and get us back to those moments in those games.”
Maye was under heavy pressure all night long. The Patriots, as a whole, looked outmatched and in over their heads. The Seahawks were the aggressors and played much more freely, especially on defense. New England had no answers.
This prompted questions of New England’s legitimacy. They had an easy regular season schedule thanks to finishing with four wins the year before, and they had a fortuitous playoff schedule with some teams that struggled or had key injuries.
Nevertheless, making the Super Bowl is significant, and if Maye stays healthy, then they certainly can make it back with him under center. It may not happen in 2026, but it’s certainly plausible in the future.
Related Posts
