On Saturday, Drake Maye suffered a head injury on his team's opening drive against the Chargers in their Week 17 game at Gillette Stadium.
The team initially announced that the rookie quarterback was questionable to return, and Jacoby Brissett came in at QB to start the team's next offensive series. Maye, however, was cleared to return to the game after going to the locker room for further evaluation, a clear sign that he did not suffer a concussion.
Here's how it went down:
On 3rd and 4 for the New England 43, Maye was flushed out of the pocket, and decided to try to pick up the first down on his own.
As he scampered up the right sideline, he was met at the boundary by Chargers corner Cam Hart, who hurled his body at Maye’s outside shoulder. Maye, attempting to spin back towards the field to make a play, took Hart’s shoulder right to the side of his spinning head. Not only was it a three-and-out for the offense after the 2-yard sack, but the Patriots’ rookie QB was injured on the play.
After laying on his back for a few moments after the play had ended, Maye was helped off the field and into the blue medical tent for an evaluation.
Midway through the Chargers’ next offensive drive, Maye was heading from the tent back to the locker room with some members of the New England medical staff.
Shortly thereafter, he was announced as questionable to return with a head injury. After one series with Brissett under center, which was also a three-and-out, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told NFL Network during an in-game interview that Maye had been cleared and would return to the game. Maye did indeed lead the Patriots out for their next drive after that.
This is the second time this season Maye has exited a game with a head injury. Last time, Maye ended up in the league's concussion protocol.
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