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Drake Maye, Patriots Dealt Bad News on Thursday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Jan 22, 2026 6:34 PM ET

Drake Maye and the No. 2 seed New England Patriots are just one win away from a spot in Super Bowl LX after defeating C.J. Stroud and the No. 3 seed Houston Texans in the divisional round. Now, the Patriots will turn their attention to the AFC Championship Game, hitting the road to face the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos, who will be without starting quarterback Bo Nix.

Maye has continued his MVP-caliber season in the playoffs. Through two games, the second-year quarterback out of North Carolina has completed 33-of-56 passes for 447 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions, adding another 76 yards on the ground. But against the Broncos in the conference championship, Maye could be without one of his starting offensive linemen.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) walks off the field after a game.Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Garrett Bradbury, who spent his college career with the NC State Wolfpack, was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 18 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He became the Vikings’ starting center as a rookie and spent his first six NFL seasons in Minnesota before the franchise released him following the 2024 season.

Bradbury signed a two-year, $12 million deal with New England ahead of the 2025 season, once again earning the starting center role and playing in every game to this point. However, ahead of the NFC championship, the Patriots revealed that Bradbury was unable to participate in Thursday’s practice, leaving his availability uncertain and potentially forcing Maye to play without his starting center.

Along with Bradbury, Patriots linebackers Harold Landry (knee) and Marte Mapu (hip) were also unable to practice on Thursday. But on the bright side, wide receiver Mack Hollins made his return to practice after spending the last few weeks on the injured reserve.