What Drake Maye said on WEEI about potential shoulder injury

It remains to be seen what the primary culprit is in Drake Maye’s stark regression so far during the 2026 NFL season.

The NFL MVP runner-up has been a far cry from the elite talent that led New England to Super Bowl LX last year. Maye was knocked for another three turnovers in the Patriots’ 35-6 road loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.

Is the absence of A.J. Brown thwarting New England’s offensive game plan? Are opposing defenses dialed in against Maye’s strengths after a full year of tape on him? Or is New England’s third-year QB simply “seeing ghosts” out on the field?

A nagging shoulder injury that Maye first suffered during the AFC Championship Game against the Broncos could be another potential factor in his recent struggles.

Maye was not himself during New England’s loss to the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, with the young signal-caller admitting after that season-ending defeat that he needed a pain-killing shot in that shoulder. 

And, beyond his poor decision-making so far in 2026, Maye doesn’t seem to have as much zip on his passes. He has routinely underthrown some of his targets through three games.

After Sunday’s loss, Maye didn’t say much when asked if his shoulder feels better this fall.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t say there’s a problem with my shoulder,” Maye said. “I think there’s times where I think you look back and you look back on the playoff run in that Denver game and when I took the hit and to now. I felt good during training camp and continue to let it loose.”

Appearing on WEEI’s “Rich and Ken with Ted Johnson,” Maye remained evasive when asked follow-up questions about the state of that shoulder.

Here is the full exchange between Maye and WEEI host Rich Shertenlieb:

Shertenlieb: “When you said that you don’t believe there’s a problem with your shoulder, are you saying your right shoulder and throwing arm feel 100 percent physically the same as they did before the injury with no lingering loss of strength or velocity of range of motion — or is there any difference at all?”

Maye: “Yeah, it’s a similar question to the way I answered it in the post game. I think we gotta — I don’t think that has anything to do with executing and playing better football and realizing that’s the biggest thing that contributes to winning.”

Shertenlieb: “But I think that people were confused by your answer yesterday, and I guess they were left wondering — do you feel the same as you did before your injury, or is there still something that’s lingering?”

Maye: “Any time I’m out there, and I’m dressed in uniform on the field, I’m gonna play 100 percent and give it my all. That’s kind of what I have to say.”

Shertenlieb: “Is it something you’re managing every day?”

Maye: “I mean, any time that you come out from a game and you’re sore — everybody’s dealing with things from the game. I wouldn’t say that it’s anything in particular. I think it’s getting back out there and realizing it’s getting ready for this week in practice.”

Through three weeks, Maye has just one touchdown and six interceptions — and also lost a fumble.

Speaking to the media Monday at Gillette Stadium, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked if he was aware of whether Maye was still dealing with the effects of that ailing shoulder.

“No, I’m not,” Vrabel said. “I think when you go through an NFL game like that, especially as a quarterback, you get hit. And again, not to my knowledge anything that would have put him on the injury report. Or any sort of treatment.

“I think every player has normal maintenance and rehab they go through … so that’s not anything I would even consider. But as you go through a game, I’m sure you get hit. I’m sure things happen. But I don’t anticipate that being an issue going forward.”

Despite needing that injection before Super Bowl LX, Maye did not need any offseason surgery.

The road back to .500 isn’t going to be easy for Maye and the Patriots, as New England will need to put up points early and often on Sunday to keep pace with Josh Allen and the Bills in Buffalo.

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.