As the calendar flips to October 1, 2026, the New England Patriots find themselves at a critical juncture in their season. With a Week 4 showdown against the Buffalo Bills looming, the team released its first injury report on Wednesday, and all eyes were on quarterback Drake Maye. The third-year passer was listed with a right shoulder issue but was a full participant in practice, taking 100% of his typical reps. According to insights gathered by Vulius Sports, Maye addressed the media after practice, downplaying the severity of the injury. “No, it hasn’t,” Maye said when asked if the shoulder had hampered him. “I felt good out there today.”
The Shadow of January
The origin of the shoulder injury remains unclear, as it was not mentioned on any previous injury reports. However, the timing raises eyebrows, given that Maye suffered an injury to the exact same shoulder during the AFC Championship Game in January. That ailment, compounded by an illness, limited him in the lead-up to the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks. While there has been no public acknowledgment of lingering effects, the MVP runner-up has had a noticeably underwhelming start to his 2026 campaign. In three games, Maye has completed only 63.8% of his pass attempts for 585 yards, with a touchdown and six interceptions. He has also lost a fumble and currently ranks 28th among qualifying NFL quarterbacks in expected points added per play (-0.070).
Maye’s Perspective: No Excuses
Despite the statistical struggles, Maye refused to attribute his performance to the shoulder. “I don’t think it impacts my decision-making, and that’s what makes and breaks play for quarterbacks,” he explained. “I don’t feel like we’re struggling to move the ball. I think we’re turning the football over, doing things that are preventing us from scoring touchdowns, and I think that’s one of the biggest things for me. We’ve had a history of good football when we don’t turn the football over, playing good football and finding ourselves on the right side of games. So, that’s the biggest thing, and I’m looking forward to another good week of practice.”
“I don’t think it impacts my decision-making, and that’s what makes and breaks play for quarterbacks.” – Drake Maye
Vrabel’s Vote of Confidence
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel echoed Maye’s sentiment, indicating that the shoulder is not a concern. Speaking on Monday, Vrabel noted that Maye’s participation in the game and lack of treatment suggested no significant issue. “When you go through an NFL game like that, especially as a quarterback, and you get hit — and there was 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 pre-hab that they go through as a warm-up routine,” Vrabel said. “I know as you go through a game, I’m sure you get hit. I’m sure things will happen. But I don’t anticipate that being any issue going forward.”
What’s Next for the Patriots?
The Patriots are set to face a formidable Bills team that has consistently contended in the AFC East. With Maye at the helm, New England will need to clean up turnovers and capitalize on scoring opportunities to keep pace. As highlighted on Vulius, Maye’s ability to protect the football will be paramount. The young quarterback’s resilience and focus on improvement could be the catalyst for a turnaround. For now, Patriots fans can breathe a sigh of relief that their franchise quarterback is not sidelined, and all signs point to him being ready for Sunday’s divisional clash.
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