Drake Maye faces fresh Patriots concerns as insider defends quarterback despite struggles to start 2026 season
Through two games in 2026, Maye has thrown four interceptions and only one touchdown, leaving questions around his start. Across those games, he has completed 61.1% of his passes for 1,214 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. Against Seattle, Maye completed 23 of 33 passes for 178 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. New England lost 13-10. Against Pittsburgh, he threw for 208 yards but had no touchdown and one interception as the Patriots won 20-3.
The bigger issue, according to Kyed, is that Maye eventually has to show he can play well against these defenses. Drake Maye has not looked like the quarterback who helped lead the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl last season. Still, Boston Herald Patriots insider Doug Kyed believes it is too early to panic. His view comes as Maye prepares for two important tests against Jacksonville and Buffalo. He does not believe Patriots fans should be seriously worried yet, even though the quarterback has struggled against strong defenses. “When do we start to be concerned with Maye? It’s a fair question. I’ll start by saying not yet,” Kyed wrote. Kyed pointed out that Maye has faced difficult opponents during this stretch. Over his last six games, he has played the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also noted that some of the things Maye did last season may not have been sustainable. The numbers from the first two games explain why the conversation has started. The Patriots’ official statistics list Maye with four interceptions and one touchdown through two games.
Kyed addressed the concerns around Maye on Wednesday and made his position clear.
The 20-3 victory over Pittsburgh gave New England a much-needed win, but it did not completely remove the questions around Maye. New England held Pittsburgh to only three points, while Maye finished 14 of 22 for 208 yards, one interception and a 75.6 passer rating. The Patriots are 1-1 and will face the Jacksonville Jaguars next, followed by the Buffalo Bills. For now, Kyed’s message is simple: there are reasons to watch Maye closely, but two games are not enough to decide what his 2026 season will become. Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news , check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule .
Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines Gronkowski said Maye appears to be “regressing a little bit” compared with the way he played earlier last season. He also said the quarterback has looked less comfortable and that the Patriots cannot depend on their defense to win every week. He said, “Drake didn’t look comfortable at all,” and pointed to Maye’s footwork on the interception against Pittsburgh.
Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and former teammate Julian Edelman both discussed the quarterback’s performance. Edelman was even more specific about what he saw. That criticism comes despite the Patriots defense giving the quarterback plenty of room to recover. Maye now has a chance to answer some of those concerns on the field. Those games should provide a better look at whether his early problems are simply a rough start or something that needs more attention. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.