Patriots rookie Drake Maye remained in the NFL’s concussion protocol on Wednesday, which limited his ability to practice for New England’s game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. If he can’t play, Jacoby Brissett will start at quarterback.
“(Maye) will throw the ball at times in practice, but he will be limited,” Coach Jerod Mayo said Wednesday, when the team had to release its first injury report since Maye took an unpenalized helmet-to-helmet hit during a win over the New York Jets last weekend.
“There are people a lot smarter than me, as far as clearing people with concussions,” Mayo told reporters. “We’ll lean on our medical professionals — and also the NFL league policy — as far as getting him ready to play.”
Brissett, who has played for five NFL teams over nine seasons, started the first five games of the season, going 1-4 before being replaced by Maye in Week 6. He said he would not change his approach this week, whether Maye is available or not.
“I always try to prepare like you’re the starter. That doesn’t change,” he said. “You don’t just look up and be in the league for nine years. So, I just stick to what I’ve known that has gotten me this far.”
Maye ran for a 17-yard touchdown last Sunday and scrambled for 18 yards later in the first quarter, getting hit as he slid. Mayo said the quarterback was pulled from the game after the NFL’s spotter called down to the team to have him checked in the medical tent.
At halftime, Maye said he was ready to return, according to Mayo.
“When I spoke to him, he seemed like he was OK. But I’m not an expert in evaluating head injuries,” the coach said. “The spotter identified it and they know the league and their policy.”
Mayo said Maye would make some throws in practice but would be limited to less than 30 minutes, showing that the No. 3 overall draft pick is in Phase 3 of the league’s five-step return-to-play protocol. He still needs to be cleared by team doctors and then by an independent neurological consultant before he can play.
“I do have confidence that if the league says he’s ready to play, that he will be able to go out there and operate,” Mayo said.
“In saying that, I feel very comfortable putting Jacoby in there, as he is a professional and always stays ready as you could see from the last game. Having a veteran quarterback like Jacoby puts us at ease.”
Brissett came off the bench to help the Patriots win 25-22 against the Jets. He completed 15 of 24 passes for 132 yards and led New England to two go-ahead scores in the fourth quarter.
Although he said he always prepares to play, Brissett mentioned that receiving a game ball “obviously wasn’t on my bingo card before the game.”
“I can’t say enough about how tough Jacoby is, just mentally and physically, to step in in that situation,” tight end Hunter Henry said. “He’s played a lot of football in this league, and he’s a great player, and to step in in that situation and come up big for us, just especially that last drive was really, really cool to see.”
