Patriots news: Is Drake Maye's shoulder a reason behind poor play? Here's what he said

Drake Maye 's dreadful start to the 2026 NFL season continues as the New England Patriots suffered an embarrassing 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon.

Maye is going through the third season of his career with the Patriots . He enjoyed a breakout year in Year 2, leading New England to Super Bowl 60 before losing to the Seattle Seahawks .

Things have been brutal for Maye since that success last year. Maye only completed 14 out of 25 passes for 199 yards, then committed two interceptions and a fumble.

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Speculation surfaced about his shoulder , which he injured in the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos . Reporters asked him about his shoulder, which he made an effort to reassure them that it's not in bad condition.

"Unacceptable," Maye stated upon starting his presser, per reporter Mike Reiss. "You're gonna get banged up every now and then, but at the same time, a lot of guys are banged up. So looking forward to get back to playing winning football. That's the main thing, and knowing that I play a big role in that, and then taking that and taking the bull by its horns,"

"I wouldn't say there's a problem with my shoulder. I think there's times where I think you look back on the playoff run in that Denver game when I took the hit. Now I feel good here in training camp and continue to let it loose. "

The Patriots need Drake Maye to return to star form. His performances to start the campaign have been far from the games he delivered last year, needing his struggles to be a major wake-up call for the young quarterback.

Maye only has one passing touchdown to his name after three games. He has largely struggled with six interceptions, emphasizing how slow New England has been to begin the season.

The Patriots will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being on the road. They gear up for division rivalry clash with the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. ET.