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The New England Patriots are one win away from returning to the top of the ladder in the NFL, and the emergence of quarterback Drake Maye as a legitimate superstar is a big reason.
Maye completed a league-leading 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions this season and could well be named the league’s Most Valuable Player in just his sophomore season.
However, if the Patriots are going to beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60, they might well have to do so without Maye at 100 percent after he seemingly suffered a shoulder injury in the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos.
Social Media Doctors Diagnose Drake Maye With Shoulder Injury
Doctors David J. Chao and Jesse Morse are two of the most popular sports doctors on social media. Chao, who formerly served as the team doctor for the then-San Diego Chargers, has over 225,000 followers on X. Morse, meanwhile, has over 165,000 followers.
Though both come with their own set of controversies.
However, on Monday, both Chao and Morse stated that they believed Maye suffered a shoulder injury against the Broncos that could well linger into the Super Bowl
Drake Maye injured his right throwing shoulder against the Broncos. How severe the injury is, and the exact diagnosis, remains to be determined. Heading into Super Bowl LX, I’m far more concerned about Maye’s shoulder than Sam Darnold’s oblique. pic.twitter.com/kHQb9Q8q6D
— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) January 26, 2026
Chao came to his conclusion by analyzing two videos of Maye postgame, one which showed him awkwardly running to the locker room and another which showed him grimacing after being tapped on the allegedly injured shoulder.
That prompted Morse to go back and review the game film. He went on to identify a play that showed Maye being tackled and landing awkwardly on his throwing shoulder.
Morse suggests that Maye likely suffered a “posterior capsular sprain or superior/posterior labral tear” on the play.
Now, without hands-on assessment or imaging, neither Chao nor Morse can be sure of their diagnoses. However, both know what they’re talking about. So it’s not as if they’re entirely fabricating the possibility of an injury.
Ultimately, only those within the Patriots’ organization will know for sure. But if Maye is hampered by injury, it will make life far harder for New England against Seattle’S elite defense.