FOXBORO —- Patriots players took one last trip into Gillette Stadium on Tuesday following Sunday’s Super Bowl LX loss to the Seahawks.
Players had a final meeting with positional coaches and other staff, but they’ll be back in the facility in no time.
“Ten weeks until we’re back here,” quarterback Drake Maye said Tuesday. “So that doesn’t sound too far away. It turns around quickly on you. I’m looking forward to it.”
Unprompted, Maye also made a vow to fans after Sunday’s 29-13 loss to the Seahawks, when he completed 27-of-43 passes for 295 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions and a lost fumble on six sacks.
After an MVP-caliber season — he finished second in voting — Maye didn’t play like himself in four postseason games.
“Appreciate the fans and support. I know I didn’t play as well as I would have liked down the stretch, and promise to do my best to work hard and get us back to those moments in those games,” Maye said Tuesday. “And can’t wait to be back in Gillette and looking forward to next year.”
During the regular season, Maye completed a league-high 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions for 8.9 yards per attempt and a 113.5 passer rating.
In the playoffs, Maye completed just 58.3% of his passes for 822 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions for 6.9 yards per attempt and an 82.2 passer rating.
Maye rushed 103 times for 450 yards with four touchdowns and eight fumbles in the regular season. He rushed 29 times for 178 yards with one touchdown and seven fumbles in the postseason.
Maye did suffer a right shoulder injury during the Patriots’ AFC Championship Game win over the Broncos. He said it won’t require a procedure, but he will give it time to heal.
“Yeah, just get some time. Time’s the best healer. Nothing that needs anything to be done,” Maye said.
The young quarterback said his arm was “feeling great all year” until he was tackled hard on a scramble by Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga in the AFC title game.
“I don’t think throwing really was the instance for my arm,” Maye said. “I think it’s a case of having one hit in the AFC Championship Game that was just kind of unfortunate timing. The two weeks was great to have off to have a chance to be out there and be out there for my guys. You can’t blame things on injuries. Things happen like this all the time in the league. I was blessed this year. What a year of health and blessings for me this year. You can’t zone in on one little thing on the shoulder. Just unfortunate it happened to be the throwing one, but at the same time, I could have prevented it or made more plays. I was feeling like I was able to make throws in the game and was myself. Nothing that I have anything much else to say about that.”
Maye said after Super Bowl LX that he took a painkiller shot in his throwing shoulder before Super Bowl LX.
He was optimistic about spending another year in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ system, saying he felt like a rookie again this year, playing in the offense for the first time.
“I’m looking forward to it, getting a chance to be in the — Lord-willing and knock on wood, the same offense for the second year. I’m looking forward to that, and the sky’s the limit for us,” Maye said. “We’ve got a lot of great players in that locker room.”
With just 10 weeks until the Patriots reconvene for the offseason workout program and some rest needed for his right throwing shoulder, Maye plans to put in some quality time with his wife, Ann Michael.
“This offseason, I’ve got a wife now. I’ve got a beautiful wife, so I don’t know. I look forward to spending this offseason with my wife,” Maye said. “Yeah, that’s kind of my first thought. That’s going to be the highlight of my offseason, I can tell you that.”
Maye got engaged and married last offseason. Coaches are not permitted to talk football with players until the offseason workout program beings, but Maye is permitted to meet and throw with teammates on his own.