Patriots' Drake Maye Admits Receiving Pain Killer Before Super Bowl

His shoulder was the talk of the town in the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, but New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye insisted he was alright to play the Seattle Seahawks.

He suffered a right shoulder injury during the team's AFC title win over the Denver Broncos and was a regular fixture on the injury report in the week prior to the Patriots' trip out west.

Postgame, he shared some more details about that injury. The MVP finalist admitted to reporters following the Patriots' 29-13 loss in Super Bowl LX that he received a pain-killing injection prior to kickoff.

"My shoulder feels - um, they shot it up, so not much feeling," Maye said. "Feels good to go. I felt alright."

It was a tough showing for the Patriots all around, and especially for Maye. His first taste of the Super Bowl was as yucky a taste as you could get -- getting sacked six times and turning the ball over three times in the second half. There were some good throws (a 35-yard touchdown strike to Mack Hollins gave the team some sort of comeback hope), but it was too little, too late.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) passes against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Maye was forced to scramble for his life, and even when he couldn't move in the pocket, nobody got open. When receivers got open, he missed throws he routinely made during the regular season. He just did not look like the same Drake Maye that won 14 games and the AFC East.

The postseason wasn't pretty for Maye. He was consistently under duress, and the second-year quarterback had to try and make something out of nothing. That plan ran into a buzzsaw against Seattle, as the Seahawks' front seven disrupted any ad-libbing Maye might have had sitting in his back pocket.

"I Was Feeling Good Enough To Be Out There"

His arm strength didn't look like an issue. He fired some darts to Hollins and Stefon Diggs, and aired a few balls out that seemed like they could touch the Santa Clara moon. But there was just something off about Maye from the start of the game.

"I think it’d be hard to say that," Maye said when asked if he thinks it limited him. "I was feeling good enough to be out there. If I’m out there, I wouldn’t put the team in harm’s way to not be myself. Just didn’t make the plays tonight."

Again, he'll say he wasn't hindered by his shoulder, and he probably wasn't. It just leaves the door open for conversations about what a 100% healthy Maye might have done (or could have done, if the Patriots pounced on the Seahawks earlier than the fourth quarter).

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