JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Moments after the worst game of his young career had mercifully ended, Patriots quarterback stepped to the podium and sputtered out, “I think it’s disappointing.”
Maye, the [2025 MVP runner-up](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/07/25/drake-maye-will-find-it-easier-to-lead-patriots-after-mvp-caliber-season/), who shockingly led his Patriots team to Super Bowl LX last season, looks like a broken quarterback just seven months later.
The 2024 first-round pick has six turnovers through three weeks to just one touchdown. His self-inflicted errors are occurring at the worst possible moments, and he’s not making up for them with big plays.
“I think it’s getting out of my own way,” Maye said Sunday. “Personally, I think it’s nothing that I feel like these mistakes that I’m making personally are really them beating us. I think it’s beating myself and realizing that there’s times last year where you got to flip to the next play and realize this league will be quick, and just finding ways for me to step up when I feel like I’m not playing my best and still lead the team. I think that’s what this position is about, and that’s what as a quarterback of this football team that is my obligation and owning that. And for me, it starts with confidence in the guys, and it’s all of us, and it’s particularly with me. My one 11th is a big part of it.”
Maye was unquestionably the Patriots’ best player last season. Through three games, he’s been among their worst.
He turned the ball over three times in Sunday’s [35-6 loss](https://www.bostonherald.com/2026/09/27/what-we-learned-best-and-worst-from-patriots-embarrassing-36-6-loss-to-jaguars/) to the Jaguars, and each one looked worse than the last.
Maye had the ball slip out of his hand when he attempted to throw deep to Kyle Williams. Maye said center Jared Wilson’s hand was bleeding, and that blood on the football caused it to slip out of his hand.
“But at the same time, gotta hold onto the football,” Maye conceded.
His first interception came when the Patriots were one play away from putting points on the board. On third-and-goal from the Jaguars’ 2-yard line, Maye tried to force the ball to Efton Chism III, who was covered tightly by 2025 No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter, who plucked the ball away for an interception.
“Just forcing it, try to give Chiz a chance to score, get some momentum going in halftime,” Maye said.
If he hadn’t thrown that interception, the Patriots could have at least cut the 14-3 game down to one score with a field goal.
His final pick came when he targeted Williams down the sideline. Cornerback Jarrian Jones jumped the route for the pick.
“Had a 1-on-1 matchup backside,” Maye said. “Shouldn’t have thrown that.”
Maye said repeatedly after the game that he wasn’t playing hesitantly. He wasn’t quite as emphatic when asked about the lingering effects of a shoulder injury he suffered last postseason.
The 24-year-old QB hasn’t appeared to have the same zip on the ball this season.
“Yeah, I mean, I like to say when you got that much time off and you get to focus on getting back that you’re going out there healthy,” Maye said. “You’re gonna get banged up every now and then, but same time, a lot of guys are banged up. So, looking forward to getting back to playing winning football. That’s the main thing, and knowing that I play a big role in that, and taking that and taking the bull by its horns.”
Maye was asked directly if his shoulder feels as good now as it did before last postseason’s injury.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t say there’s a problem with my shoulder,” Maye said. “I think there’s times where I think you look back and you look back on the playoff run in that Denver game and when I took the hit and to now. I felt good during training camp and continue to let it loose.”
Clearly, something has to change and change quickly for Maye.
He pointed out that the Patriots started last season 1-2, as well, and then strung together 10 straight wins.
That’s true, but things never looked quite so anemic for the offense even in last year’s 1-2 start. Maye still flashed moments of brilliance. Those glimmers have been few and far between this year.
Head coach Mike Vrabel was asked what he could do to help Maye.
“Try to show him the looks. Try to give him, me personally, I try to talk to him about just taking the ball and putting it where it’s supposed to go,” Vrabel said. “And he’s 24 years old. Like, we’re not dealing with a 35-year-old quarterback here. He’s a young quarterback.
“I want him to go and be energetic and talk to him about can’t be a robot here. We got to go. And we saw some times where he extended plays and kept his eyes downfield or made plays, and then also we just can’t turn it over at the rate that we’re turning it over, especially down in the red zone.”
Maye ultimately said that what the Patriots are doing on offense is “unacceptable.” And it wasn’t all Maye on Sunday. The Patriots’ top running backs averaged just 3 yards per carry, and the unit obviously misses star receiver A.J. Brown.
The defense couldn’t stop the Jaguars’ rushing attack and allowed quarterback Trevor Lawrence to pass for three touchdowns.
But Maye was the primary culprit for Sunday’s loss. And he’s shown no signs of turning things around for three weeks.