FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye left Sunday’s game against the New York Jets in the first half with a concussion after an unpenalized helmet-to-helmet hit while he slid to the turf after an 18-yard scramble.
Coach Jerod Mayo said he saw Maye at halftime and “the competitor that he is, obviously he wanted to go back out there and play.”
“But there’s a protocol that he has to go through,” Mayo said. “Can’t wait to get him back.”
Drafted with the third overall pick of the draft, Maye started his third straight game. He scored New England’s first touchdown against the Jets, a 17-yard rush that saw him beat New York linebacker Chazz Surratt to the corner of the end zone.
He scrambled again near the end of the first quarter when he was hit by New York linebacker Jamien Sherwood. Maye went to the blue medical tent and was replaced by Jacoby Brissett.
The Patriots announced at the start of the second half that Maye was diagnosed with a concussion and would not return. Brissett, who started the first five games before he was replaced by Maye, came off the bench and led New England to a 25-22 victory that snapped a six-game losing streak.
“You never want to see a player go down. Obviously, hoping Drake gets back,” said Brissett, who was 15 of 24 for 132 yards. “Being able to come in the game and guys rally around me and help make plays … just hoping this is a snowball effect, start of something special.”
Maye didn’t lead the Patriots to victory in either of his first two starts of his NFL career, though he did show promise in a turnover-free game in last week’s 32-16 loss to Jacksonville. Maye joined Hall of Famer Dan Marino in becoming just the second quarterback since 1950 with at least 500 yards passing and five touchdown passes in their first two starts.
Maye was 3 for 6 for 23 yards before leaving the game. He also ran three times for 46 yards and the touchdown that gave the Patriots a 7-0 lead.
Maye’s head injury came the same day as Tua Tagovailoa returned as Miami’s starting quarterback after suffering the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career on Sept. 12.
