SAN JOSE, Calif. — Drake Maye Reflects on His Shoulder Injury

Drake Maye didn’t really dive into questions about his shoulders specifically.

In the AFC Championship Game, he managed to complete only 10 out of 21 passes, but it wasn’t without its challenges; he had limited practice sessions the week prior due to a shoulder injury and an undisclosed illness.

Having a starting quarterback nursing a shoulder issue can stir up a lot of chatter, especially in the thick of Super Bowl season. However, Maye expressed confidence on Sunday, saying he thinks he’s making progress in returning to form.

He gave his shoulder a test on Monday.

“I feel good. I’ll be fine. I pitched well,” Maye said, recalling his training leading up to the first Super Bowl appearance. “I threw it just like I normally do in practice, and honestly, it felt really good.”

When asked whether offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has any worries about the MVP candidate’s performance this Monday, McDaniels answered simply, “No.”

Do you think people might be exaggerating the situation?

Maye confidently stated, “I had no doubt that I was going to give this game 100 percent. This is the Super Bowl. We have two weeks to prepare, and we’ll do whatever it takes to achieve the right result. I’m feeling confident.”

The last time the Patriots were on the losing side of a Super Bowl was back in February 2002.

This marks six championships and a total of nine Super Bowl appearances.

Back then, Mike Vrabel was a linebacker with the Patriots, determined to silence the doubters when they faced the Rams as a 14-point underdog. Now, he’s the head coach but finds himself in a different position, trailing by 4.5 points.

“Somebody has to step up,” Vrabel noted, “and we’re not against it.”

Roger Goodell seemed more perplexed than remorseful regarding Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snub.

Goodell had previously fined Belichick up to $500,000 and taken away a first-round draft pick due to the 2007 Spygate incident, which could have influenced voters when it came to Belichick’s Hall of Fame candidacy.

“He’s the second winningest coach in NFL history, with six Super Bowl wins as head coach and two as a defensive coordinator. This is clearly a Hall of Fame career,” Goodell remarked during his annual press conference. “But there’s a process to these decisions.”

Goodell highlighted that he is not involved in the Pro Football Hall of Fame board beyond approving the 50 media voters.

Meanwhile, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has had a complicated relationship with Belichick, sat front and center as Goodell spoke. Kraft himself is nominated for the 2026 Hall of Fame class.

“Bill Belichick’s record is remarkable, as are the contributions of both the Patriots and Robert Kraft,” Goodell added. “Ultimately, I believe they’ll both enter the Hall of Fame.”

In other news, Super Bowl LX halftime performer Bad Bunny made headlines with an anti-ICE statement at the recent Grammy Awards. This has ignited speculation that he might bring a political message to the Super Bowl stage.

Goodell praised the Puerto Rican rapper—who primarily sings in Spanish—calling him “one of the greatest artists in the world.”

“He gets how important this platform is,” Goodell stated. “This is about creativity, talent, and bringing people together. I think he really understands that.”

Regarding potential expansion of the NFL’s schedule to 18 games, Goodell suggested such discussions might be premature. He sounded a bit less hopeful compared to earlier statements.

“That’s something we need to discuss further with the union,” he said. “We can’t take it for granted.”

Goodell’s vision is to push for an international schedule that features 16 games, with plans for each team to participate in one international game per season.

This year, of the NFL’s 10 head coaching vacancies, only one has been filled by a minority (Robert Saleh).

Only two offensive coordinators (Mike McDaniel and Eric Bieniemy) have been appointed thus far, both also being minorities.

Despite the challenges, Goodell insists he hasn’t lost hope regarding the effectiveness of the Rooney Rule.

“We still need to make progress,” he noted. “It’s a competitive league, and every team is focused on finding a manager who can help them win.”