Patriots QB Drake Maye doesn’t throw during open portion of practice

Barely two weeks ago the internet was aflutter with reports that the starting quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, Sam Darnold, was suddenly battling a strained oblique and there were questions surrounding his ability to play against the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

From reports of Darnold not throwing in practice, to Drew Lock taking first team practice reps in practice, there was no shortage of ink spilled on the subject of whether Darnold would be able to take the field or not. Darnold, of course, played, and then played perhaps the best game of his career the next week against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game.

Now, with the Super Bowl just ten days away, the shoe is on the other foot, as it is New England Patriots starting quarterback Drake Maye who is battling a shoulder injury and not throwing in the open portions of practice Thursday. The entirety of the Patriots practice was not open to the media, but during the early portions of practice in which the New England quarterbacks went through throwing drills, Maye was an observer according to a report from Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.

Of course, with plenty of time between now and kickoff, it seems unlikely that Maye won’t play in Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks, but this report certainly adds another storyline that will unquestionably be covered to exhaustion over the next week and a half.

So, now it’s on to the Pro Bowl games where Seattle fans can enjoy watching members of the Rams and 49ers participate since the seasons of those teams have finished, while the Seahawks have one last matchup for which to prepare.