New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye was taken out of Sunday’s game against the visiting New York Jets due to a concussion scare. Later, at halftime, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo revealed that Maye would be sidelined for the remainder of the day.
Maye took a hit to the back of his head while sliding in Foxborough. He was listed as questionable to return and replaced with Jacoby Brissett before Schefter’s halftime update.
The hit was somewhat controversial, given that Maye had begun sliding when Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood made helmet-to-helmet contact with the Patriots’ quarterback – an apparent violation of NFL rules.
‘It was a pretty clear helmet-to-helmet hit from Jets LB Jamien Sherwood on Drake Maye’s scramble,’ the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed wrote on X. ‘Enough for the ref to seemingly ask him if he was OK, but not enough to throw a flag.’
Earlier in the game, the first-round pick out of North Carolina rushed for a 17-yard touchdown – his first score on the ground of his young career.
Drake Maye (10) runs the ball for a touchdown against the New York Jets on Sunday
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was ruled out after suffering a concussion scare
Maye was having some success in just his third NFL start.
He completed just 3 of 6 passes thanks to two key drops by Patriots receivers, but Maye compensated for that by running three times for 46 yards and a touchdown.
A number of NFL fans too issue with the lack of a penalty flag on the play.
‘The NFL’s officiating needs to be revamped and fixed,’ one fan wrote on X. ‘You miss this obvious helmet to helmet when a QB is giving himself up and it results in a potential concussion/Drake Maye being knocked out of the game.’
One Patriots supporter was particularly upset.
‘I’m just so sad right now,’ they wrote on X. ‘Drake Maye gives us pats fans so much hope and it upsets me to see a jets player CHEAP SHOT our QB with helmet to helmet to the back of the head, and now our Drake has a Head injury. I dont care about this game, I care about my Quarterback.’
Maye has been impressive since becoming the Patriots’ starter two games earlier, although he is still searching for his first win.
After completing 4 of 8 passes in relief of Brissett in a loss to the Jets on September 19, Maye has gone 49 of 76 for 742 yards, five touchdowns and two picks.
