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Patriots Coach Shares Drake Maye Update After Injury News

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jan 30, 2026 7:56 PM ET

The New England Patriots held their third practice of the week on Friday. Drake Maye and the Patriots’ preparations for the Super Bowl are in full swing as they get ready for the biggest game of the season. Standing in the way of their first Super Bowl title since the Tom Brady era are Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks.

Maye, however, is currently dealing with a right shoulder injury. The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback is also nursing an illness, which has raised concerns about his status for the big game. On Friday, the Patriots announced that Maye is officially questionable for the Super Bowl.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) reacts after defeating the Denver Broncos.Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The silver lining for New England here is that the injury report is merely a projection. The NFL requires both teams to submit the projected game statuses of their injured players as if the Super Bowl were this Sunday.

Either way, Maye being listed as questionable to play is a concerning development for the Patriots. Maye was limited in Wednesday and Thursday’s practices. He skipped practice altogether on Friday, leading to his questionable tag for the big game.

Patriots Friday injury report & projected game statuses as of January 30: https://t.co/sLQsUR7QHA pic.twitter.com/yRZ83H6YiY
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 31, 2026

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel provided a health update on his star quarterback amid the injury news. Vrabel announced that Maye would have practiced on Friday if he weren’t sick, per NFL reporter Tom Pelissero.

Both Vrabel and Maye have downplayed the shoulder issue over the past week, but the illness is another issue that they have to deal with.

The Patriots will hold practices again next week, and Maye’s status for those sessions should provide a clearer indication of his status for the Super Bowl.

If, for some reason, Maye is unable to go, backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs will likely start in his place for Super Bowl 60 on Feb. 8.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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