Making it all the way to the Super Bowl was not something anyone predicted for the Patriots in 2025, and unfortunately, the way they played made those early projections look correct.
Part of the blame fell on an unknown shoulder injury to Drake Maye, which hadn't been discussed much leading up to the game, and, because of his performance, there were a lot of concerns about how severe the injury actually was.
He went into the offseason playing coy about his shoulder, suggesting he just needed some rest after a long season. While that was understandable, his performance made it appear as though there was more to the story, but Patriots' unofficial general manager, Eliot Wolf, just put some of those concerns to rest.
While appearing on Up & Adams on Monday morning, Kay Adams asked Wolf about Maye's injury, and the VP of Player Personnel said plainly and directly that the quarterback is "fine."
Patriots QB Drake Maye is "ready to go" and expected to be a full participant in the offseason program, according to Executive VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/zTlXV0Myw3
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 30, 2026
That's great news considering the nightmare scenarios some were thinking could become a reality this offseason, and certainly puts a lot more optimism in the air for the future of the offense.
Patriots fans can finally put concerns about Drake Maye's shoulder injury to rest
After what had become an impressively unbelievable season, it was devastating to see how the Patriots ended their year in the Super Bowl. They far exceeded expectations to even make the Championship game, but the struggles they had throughout the season, on top of Maye's injury, played a huge role in their inevitable loss to the Seahawks.
The severity of Maye's injury sparked a lot of conversation heading into the offseason, and thankfully, it doesn't appear to be something that will hinder him at mini-camp or any other offseason activity.
Perhaps it's true that he just needed some rest, as the Patriots didn't have a bye until Week 14 and then played far more games than they anticipated by making it all the way to the Super Bowl.
Regardless of what it may have been, it doesn't appear that Maye will be hindered by any injury, and the offseason should go off with a hitch.