Drake Maye’s rough start has become one of the biggest talking points in New England, and now the conversation is stretching beyond the stat sheet. After another uneven outing in Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, people inside the Patriots organization are reportedly questioning the quarterback’s explanation for his shoulder issues.
Maye went 14 of 25 for 199 yards with two interceptions against Jacksonville, and his early-season line has only fueled the noise around him. Through three games, he has already thrown six interceptions, a number that ranks among the highest for a Patriots quarterback over that same span since the mid-1990s.
According to reporter Greg Bedard, people in the building are “befuddled” by the way Maye has talked about his shoulder, with the belief inside the organization that “there is nothing wrong” with it. Some around the team think those comments may be coming from family or agent influence, and they see the shoulder talk as an attempt to explain away inaccurate throws.
Mike Vrabel addressed the issue after the Jaguars game and said nothing would have put Maye on the injury report. He also said he does not expect any shoulder-related problems going forward.
Maye, for his part, didn’t hide from the performance. He said he needs to be better and framed the night as a line in the sand.
“I’ve got to look myself in the mirror and take this as a turning point,” Maye said. “It’s Week 3, and at the same time we’ve got to get some fuel and realize that what we’re doing out there offensively is unacceptable.
It’s been unacceptable for three weeks. So, I’ve got to start with myself and then lead these guys, and we’ve got to get back after it.”
The Patriots are 1-2 and now head into a difficult road matchup with the Buffalo Bills. Maye’s decision-making and accuracy have been under the microscope after a string of turnovers, while the organization’s internal view appears to be that the problem is not medical.
Maye did deal with a shoulder injury in last season’s AFC Championship game, but the current read inside the team is that medical evaluations show no lingering issue. The attention now shifts to execution, timing and processing as New England tries to clean things up this week.
There is also the matter of the offense around him. The absence of top target A.J. Brown has limited New England’s ability to attack down the field, and that has left Maye working through tighter windows.
For now, though, the message from inside the building is clear: the shoulder is not being treated as the source of the struggles. The Patriots are looking for sharper play, and Maye is the one under the brightest spotlight as the team prepares for a key division game.
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