Patriots HC Reveals Drake Maye Practice Absence

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Is New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye dealing with a shoulder injury that is perhaps more concerning than originally thought?

Though Maye was a limited participant in New England’s first practice in advance of Super Bowl week, he was conspicuous by his absence from the media portion of their second session. As a result, the media was not provided the opportunity to observe Maye making any throws before the team travels to Santa Clara, Calif., this weekend to represent the AFC on Feb 8.

In an effort to satiate the voracious appetite of Patriots Nation longing for a sense of validation that all is well with their second-team All-Pro, head coach Mike Vrabel provided an update on Maye’s status when speaking with the media at Gillette Stadium.

“He did not practice… illness and shoulder,” Vrabel said, as broadcast via Patriots.com.

“Again, we have had a lot of guys here over the past few months with an illness. We try to do our best for the team and prevent the spread of it," Vrabel added.

Illness, a reason which always seems to raise collective eyebrows when mentioned, was a new reveal for Maye. However, Vrabel did confirm that he was at the team facility earlier in the day and participated favorably in team meetings.

For the team’s first session, he was a limited participant — with Vrabel confirming that Maye did make throws, but did not take part in a full capacity. Still, it appears that the shoulder was not the culprit for his absence during their final session held in Foxborough this season.

“He would have been at practice today if not for the illness,” Vrabel said.

Drake Maye’s Health Will Remain a Hot Topic as the Patriots Head to Super Bowl LX

Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) reacts after defeating the Denver Broncos in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Patriots are gearing up to take on the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX and could be bringing home their seventh NFL Championship. Patriots Nation has been collectively holding its breath since rumors began circulating that Maye injured his throwing arm during the team’s 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game.

Speculation surrounding his injury status began to swirl less than 24 hours removed from the Patriots’ conference title victory over the Broncos. Sports physician Dr. David Chao, per a recent media appearance, believes that the Pats’ QB injured his throwing shoulder in the third quarter, prior to the flea-flicker pass play to Mack Hollins. Chao notes that Maye was slow to get up after being hit, while also demonstrating signs of discomfort when tapped on his shoulder pads in congratulations from his wife, Ann Michael Maye.

Maye finished the game without missing any time, and did not look particularly bothered by his shoulder or any other injuries during and after the contest. He completed his longest pass of the day, a 31-yarder to Hollins, two plays after the scramble in question and was quick to pop up again following a sack in the fourth quarter that saw him land on that very same right shoulder.

Still, Patriots fans may take solace in the fact that Vrabel appears to remain unfazed by Maye’s status In fact, he confirmed his level of concern regarding the health of his starting quarterback when asked directly about it just one day earlier.

“Not much, I try not to have a whole lot of concern,” Vrabel said. “I just want to try to prepare the football team, make sure that everybody's ready, that we all have a plan, not to surprise anybody and make sure that our guys are focusing on the first and second down plan. We've tried to map out the week here, week and a half, and not look at the end of it, but focus on what we can do today. Try to learn our opponent and be ready for first and second down.”

Though several Patriots players have significantly contributed to their streak of success, the one constant throughout the season has been Maye. The third overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft compiled 4,394 passing yards and 31 touchdowns to just eight interceptions — helping to lead the Patriots to a 14-3 record and their first postseason appearance since 2021. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Maye is also earning deserved mentions as a strong candidate for NFL MVP.

While few, if any, expect his game day status to be jeopardized by Maye’s shoulder injury, any hindrance in his throwing motion or mobility could affect his game play. Accordingly, Maye’s arm will continue to remain under the metaphorical microscope throughout the week.

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