Drake Maye is among the dozens of players participating in the New England Patriots’ voluntary offseason program, and he is not experiencing any limitations while doing so. That is good news for a quarterback who was nursing a shoulder injury in the lead-up to February’s Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaking to the Associated Press’ Steve Reed at the Truist Championship Pro-Am in Charlotte on Wednesday, Maye said that there would be no issues stemming from the ailment.
As for the shoulder
injury that hampered him down the stretch last season, Maye said he’s doing “great.”
“Nothing, nothing, no problems at all,” Maye said, adding that he did not need surgery.
Leading the Patriots to their first Super Bowl in seven years, Maye had one of the best individual seasons in franchise history. The second-year QB completed 72% of his regular season pass attempts for 4,394 yards as well as 31 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, and was later voted to his first career Pro Bowl. He also finished second in the MVP voting behind only the Rams’ Matthew Stafford.
In the postseason, Maye had a more difficult time. His completion rate dropped to 58.3% over that four-game stretch, and he tossed only six touchdowns and four interceptions. He also fumbled the ball a league-worst seven times in the tournament.
To make things worse, he also hurt his right throwing shoulder on a tackle late in the AFC Championship Game in Denver. Maye did not exit the game, but started the Super Bowl preparation as a limited practice participant.
The Patriots eventually succumbed to the Seahawks in the title bout.
Maye was not listed on the final injury report entering the game, but did get a pre-game shot as support. He ended up playing all 71 offensive snaps in New England’s 29-13 defeat.
In the aftermath of the game, Maye refrained from blaming his shoulder but admitted that he would “definitely just need time off” and was hoping “to get some rest and just time away from football.”
