While the New England Patriots won’t be playing a game this week, they’ll still be busy making their initial preparations for Super Bowl LX. The fact that the Patriots are even preparing to battle the Seattle Seahawks for their first Lombardi Trophy since 2018 is unfathomable for a franchise that was coming off back-to-back four-win seasons, and a big reason why is the second-year leap of Drake Maye.
Maye is the most important player for the Patriots as they venture to Santa Clara. But his playoff performance hasn’t lived up to the MVP-level he played at during the regular season. With rumors of a shoulder injury coming after the victory over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, Mike Vrabel addressed his quarterback’s health during his appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Tuesday morning.
“There’s not a player on our team that’s 100 percent healthy,” Vrabel said via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. “...I would imagine we’ll go through our injury report, and whenever we’ll have to turn that in, we’ll turn that in. Nobody is 100 percent. It’s our 21st game.”
Kyed’s colleague Zack Cox reasoned that Vrabel could have put any rumor of a Maye injury to rest by simply saying his quarterback doesn’t have a shoulder injury. But with Vrabel leaving the possibility out there, which continued during Vrabel's time with the media on Tuesday, the Patriots could be worried about their backup quarterback situation heading into the Super Bowl.
Drake Maye’s Health Puts Patriots Backup QB Situation in Spotlight Ahead of Super Bowl LX
The Patriots’ backup quarterback situation has been a looming concern throughout the season. The Patriots signed Joshua Dobbs to be Maye’s primary backup this offseason and also carry former New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito on the roster. While both quarterbacks have starting experience, they haven’t had recent success as the duo's 0-3 record as starters with 618 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in five games during the 2024 season would indicate.
Of course, has put that issue to the back burner with his play. One of the frontrunners for the league’s MVP award, Maye led the NFL with a 72.0 percent completion rate while throwing for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He has also been a threat on the ground with 450 yards and four rushing touchdowns, but that may have taken a toll late in the season.
“I’m feeling good. Got some extra rest,” Maye said when asked about a potential shoulder injury during a WEEI interview via Brian Hines of Pats Pulpit. “I think the build up of throwing for almost – including training camp – 30 weeks straight of throwing and four days a week, it can add up.”
The tax has shown up in the box score during the playoffs. While Maye opened the Patriots’ playoff run with 268 yards, a touchdown pass, and an interception in a wild-card round win over the Los Angeles Chargers, he threw for 179 yards – albeit with three touchdowns and an interception – in the divisional round win over the Houston Texans.
That led to arguably Maye’s worst game of the year against the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, where he completed just 10 of 21 attempts for 86 scoreless yards. However, he made up for his shortcomings through the air by rushing for 65 yards and a touchdown. Still, Maye tied his season high with 10 rushing attempts in that game, and one of those attempts resulted in him landing awkwardly on his throwing shoulder.
While Maye added he “got some extra rest” and declared himself “ready to go for the Super Bowl,” the fact that neither he nor Vrabel denied the injury should shoot a flare into the sky. If Dobbs or DeVito is forced to answer the emergency call, it could lead to a disappointing ending to a storybook season for the Patriots.