On February 8, Drake Maye will join a prestigious group of 23-year-old quarterbacks who have ever started a Super Bowl. Whenever the New England Patriots lace them up against the Seattle Seahawks, the young star will sit just days behind Dan Marino as the second-youngest Super Bowl starting gunslinger.
As the final game of the 2025-26 season approaches, it can be assumed that nearly every player is battling some sort of injury. The bigger question, though, is how serious are Maye’s bumps and bruises ahead of the big game?
Mike Vrabel Nonchalant Regarding Drake Maye Injury Chatter
Despite showing little to no signs of wear and tear, New England’s man at the helm is beginning to receive attention regarding a potential injury. Following the gritty victory on a snowy Sunday in Denver, the Patriots’ head coach was asked about a shoulder issue that Maye may have undergone against the Broncos.
Mike Vrabel asked if Drake Maye hurt his shoulder in Denver: “This is a sport where there’s gonna be things that come up. We’ll talk about whatever status each player has for the game once we’re required to.”
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) January 27, 2026
“This is a sport where there’s gonna be things that come up,” said Vrabel as reported by Phil Perry on X. “We’ll talk about whatever status each player has for the game once we’re required to.”
The longtime Tennessee Titans bench boss went on to elaborate, instilling confidence that the injury rumors are not as severe as they sound. Perry, the New England sports personality, described Vrabel’s words in a subsequent X post.
“Vrabel says that reports of Maye being banged up are ‘probably’ overblown,” said Perry. “But he acknowledges that no one is healthy this time of year, including Maye.”
Vrabel says that reports of Maye being banged up are “probably” overblown. But he acknowledges that no one is healthy this time of year, including Maye. https://t.co/ySbfOk3U9v
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) January 27, 2026
Although Vrabel appears unconcerned about his starting quarterback, one doctor who formerly worked for the San Diego Chargers sees things differently. During the hard-fought AFC Championship, Dr. David Chao posted a video describing the aforementioned injury to Maye’s shoulder following a scramble from the former Tar Heel.
“Drake Maye injured his right throwing shoulder against the Broncos,” said Chao. “How severe the injury is, and the exact diagnosis, remains to be determined. Heading into Super Bowl LX, I’m far more concerned about Maye’s shoulder than Sam Darnold’s oblique.”
As speculation builds around the former third-overall pick’s health, Maye must remain steadfast on the mission and continue his MVP-caliber campaign.
Maye Looks To Join NFL Legends Amongst Youngest NFL MVPs
Following the Tom Brady era, many felt a rebuild would take immense amounts of time; however, the 6’4″ quarterback has had a significant impact on debunking such a thought.
It appears this MVP race boils down to Maye and the tenured veteran Matthew Stafford. If New England’s quarterback were to take home honors, he would be the joint-fourth youngest player ever to win the award (Patrick Mahomes, Dan Marino, and Walter Payton).
Using PFSN’s QB Impact metric, the North Carolina native lands behind just San Francisco’s Brock Purdy. With a 91.1 impact score and an A- grade, the young phenom had a near-perfect season. One of his most impressive metrics from the year was Maye’s efficiency, as the Patriots QB finished with a 72.2% completion rate, the highest in the NFL.
Although there seems to be a slight concern for Maye’s health, New England’s head coach appears confident the 23-year-old will be good to go. When he inevitably takes the field for the final game of the season, the two-time Pro Bowler will look to be just the second starting quarterback in franchise history to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
