Patriots’ Drake Maye confesses to ‘bumps and bruises’ after AFC Championship Game win

The New England Patriots are headed back to the Super Bowl! New England survived blizzard conditions in Denver on Sunday, winning the AFC Championship Game and advancing to Super Bowl 60. One Patriots player spoke honestly about how physical Sunday’s important AFC matchup was for both teams.

ESPN asked Patriots QB Drake Maye about how he felt physically after the AFC Championship.

Maye admitted that he had “some bumps and bruises” before adding “but they, that’s what it is,” per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Reiss noted that Maye carves out extra time with team physical therapist/athletic trainer Zach Gerber as part of his regular routine. That extra attention to his body has helped him endure the physical grind of an NFL season.

Maye added that he is not the only one who is hurting ahead of the Super Bowl. But he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I think a lot of those guys in that locker room are battling through things,” Maye said. “At the same time, the best thing about it is we have another chance at it. Another chance at it to get healthy. Two weeks — a chance to go win the Super Bowl. That’s what it is, and that’s pretty cool.”

The quarterback may be the most protected position in all of sports, but Maye still took plenty of big hits against the Broncos.

Maye was sacked five times on Sunday and suffered additional hits on other plays where he was under pressure. One of those was a particularly brutal hit from Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga. It occured while Maye was sliding and resulted in him landing on his throwing shoulder.

Quarterback mobility is almost always a double-edged sword in the modern NFL. Maye’s ability to escape the rush and pick up extra yards often comes in handy. In fact, Maye scrambled on the most important play of the game that sealed a victory.

However, the second-year quarterback needs to be careful not to take too many risks.

Fortunately, Maye and the Patriots have some extra time to get healthy before Super Bowl 60 on February 8th.

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