New information adds context to what Drake Maye was dealing with physically during Super Bowl LX and helps explain parts of his uneven performance.
The shoulder injury likely occurred during the third quarter of the AFC Championship Game on a 13-yard scramble. Maye broke out of the pocket, picked up the first down, and was tackled by Talanoa Hufanga. He landed awkwardly on his right shoulder, stayed in the game, but was clearly managing discomfort from that point on.
In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, Maye appeared on the injury report with the shoulder issue, and it affected his practice availability. He was limited early in the week before returning to fuller participation. By the end of the week, he was removed from the final injury report and carried no game designation, meaning he was officially cleared to play.
Based on how the injury happened and the treatment that followed, it is likely Maye was dealing with an AC joint sprain in his right throwing shoulder. Before the Super Bowl, he received a pain-killing injection into the shoulder, likely Toradol or cortisone, to help manage the issue. Healthy players do not receive injections before games, which underscores that this was more than routine soreness.
Even so, signs of the injury still showed up. Maye was able to drive mid-range throws with velocity, but several of his deep balls floated, as if they slipped out of his hand rather than being fully powered. That contrast suggests the shoulder was still bothering him, especially when trying to generate maximum force downfield.
That raises another question: did the injury impact his decision-making, not only in the Super Bowl but beyond it? The likely answer is yes. When a quarterback cannot fully trust his arm, it can subtly affect timing, confidence, and choices under pressure.
Maye still put up numbers, completing 27 of 43 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots’ 29–13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. But the night was far from smooth. He was sacked six times, hit 11 more times, and turned the ball over three times.
The injury adds important context, but it was not the only factor. Constant pressure and poor protection made a difficult situation worse. Still, Maye showed toughness by playing through pain on the biggest stage. For the New England Patriots, the priority now is clear: protect their young quarterback and allow him to play without having to compensate for both injury and chaos.
