Could Drake Maye’s Injury Be Gamesmanship From Mike Vrabel?

There’s been endless speculation about Drake Maye’s shoulder since the AFC Championship Game, and Maye reportedly missed practice on Friday.

Here’s a thought that some fans might not have considered yet: What if Maye’s “injury” isn’t real, and this is all savvy gamesmanship from New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel?

If you’re doubting that Vrabel would do this, keep in mind that Vrabel played for Bill Belichick, who famously submitted rule-bending injury reports during his legendary tenure with the Patriots.

Think about it .. if the Patriots were drawing up an aerial attack game plan to defeat the Seattle Seahawks, widely advertising Maye’s “injured” shoulder would be perfect propaganda to help throw off Seattle’s staff and players.

How funny would it be if Josh McDaniels were planning to throw the ball 50-plus times in the Super Bowl, and he and Vrabel got together and concocted this shoulder narrative?

On the other hand, there are obvious reasons why such a theory isn’t true. For example, why would Vrabel give the Seahawks’ defensive line a reason to target Maye’s throwing shoulder on every QB pressure?

It feels like a health risk for Maye that Vrabel wouldn’t be crazy about taking. But if he were confident in his offensive line, throwing fake Maye injury intel out there sure would be “Belichickian” in its cunning.

Ultimately, if Maye’s shoulder injury is real, it could have a defining impact on Super Bowl XL. We’re talking about the best deep-throw passer in the NFL.

Maye started all 17 games in 2025, guiding the Patriots to a 14-3 record, an AFC East title, and the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

He completed 354 of 492 passes (72.0 percent) for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions, leading the NFL in completion percentage, yards per attempt (8.9), and passer rating (113.5).

Maye also added 103 rushes for 450 yards and four scores, showcasing his dual-threat ability. His efficiency earned him Second-Team All-Pro honors, a Pro Bowl selection, and PFWA Most Improved Player of the Year. He set Patriots single-season records for completion percentage and yards per attempt, joining an elite group as one of only eight QBs in NFL history with at least 70 percent completions, 4,000 yards, and 30 TDs in a season.

In the playoffs, Maye has helped New England advance to Super Bowl LX with wins over the Chargers (16-3), Texans (28-16), and Broncos (10-7 in the AFC Championship, where his scrambling produced the game’s lone TD despite snowy conditions and limited passing).