Will Drake Maye play against Titans? Patriots QB status was still murky and originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The good news for New England Patriots fans: There’s still a chance Drake Maye plays on Sunday. The bad news: There’s also a chance he won’t.
The starting quarterback remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol, Head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed this to reporters Friday. Maye will be a limited participant in practice for the third day in a row, according to Mayo, meaning his final status may not be determined until Saturday or even Sunday.
When asked if there was any chance Maye could be cleared in time to play the Tennessee Titans in Week 8, Mayo responded with a definitive “yes,” though he also expressed confidence in veteran QB Jacoby Brissett should Maye not be cleared in time be acquitted.
“Look, any player can wake up on any given day with something and not be able to play,” Mayo said. “I will say this: If (Maye) can’t play, we have enough confidence in Jacoby to be able to step in and help us win.”
Maye was placed in protocol last Sunday after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit in the Patriots’ win over the New York Jets. He practiced for 30 minutes on Wednesday and was not on the field during the portion of practice open to the media. On Thursday, Maye was seen taking reps with New England’s quarterbacks, suggesting he could be in Phase 4 of the league’s concussion protocol, titled: “Club-based non-contact training drills.”
In Phase 4, players can throw, catch and run in practice, although all activities must be non-contact. To progress to the fifth and final phase, players must undergo ‘neurocognitive and balance tests’.
The good news for New England is that Maye looked more active in practice on Friday, taking first-team QB reps for Brissett and third-string Joe Milton.
The Patriots travel to Tennessee on Saturday, so whether Maye makes the trip with his teammates could tell us if the rookie will be available, or if Brissett will start in his place.
This article will be updated with more information about Maye as it becomes available.
