New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel isn’t taking any chances with his franchise quarterback, Drake Maye.
An already turbulent offseason nearly got worse on Thursday when Maye appeared to suffer an injury during 11-on-11 drills at the team’s minicamp in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
When Maye struggled to pull himself off the field after colliding with second-year edge rusher Bradyn Swinson, Vrabel called it a day, ending practice 25 minutes early. Fortunately for the reigning AFC champs, there has been no reported injury for Maye.
NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran described the scene on local radio station, WEEI.
‘It was one of those over-exuberant pass rushes by Bradyn Swinson, the second-year player off the edge,’ Curran said’. There was a completion to [new Patriots receiver] AJ Brown.
‘I would say about 25 minutes left in the workout, AJ Brown took it in for a touchdown, but Bradyn Swinson made a little bit of contact with Drake Maye, and the two of them landed in a heap.’
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye runs onto field on Thursday in Foxborough
The Patriots take part in 11-on-11 drills during the team’s mandatory minicamp in Foxborough
Widely considered one of the top defensive backs in football, Christian Gonzalez skipped OTAs amid contract-extension talks with the team but did return for this week’s minicamp
Vrabel had seen about enough at that point.
‘Mike Vrabel said, ‘Alright, everybody out of the pool,’ Curran said.
Vrabel has other problems in Foxborough as well. The reigning NFL Coach of the Year was ensnared in controversy over the offseason when pictures surfaced in March showing him embracing NFL insider and long-time reporter, Dianna Russini.
While she has denied inappropriate behavior and has stood by her reporting, Vrabel briefly stepped away from the team to attend family counseling and has admitted to letting the team and his family down.
And then there is the case of New England’s top cornerback, Christian Gonzalez. Widely considered one of the top defensive backs in football, Gonzalez skipped OTAs amid contract-extension talks with the team but did return for this week’s minicamp.
New England picked up his fifth-year option in April and will pay him $18 million in 2026, but he has his eyes set on a larger payday in the form of a contract extension.
‘That’s between my agents and the team,’ Gonzalez said this week. ‘I hope we get something done.’
The Patriots were 14-3 in Vrabel’s first season at the helm before ultimately falling to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.