Sports
Patriots QB Drake Maye Exits Munich Game with Ankle Injury, Lions Roll 35-10
New England quarterback Drake Maye left Sunday's game in Munich on the opening drive with an ankle injury and did not return, as the Patriots fell to Detroit 35-10. Backup Tommy DeVito struggled in relief, and the team's injury list grew longer as the game wore on.
MUNICH â New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was knocked out of Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions on the team's first possession with an ankle injury and did not return, casting a pall over a 35-10 loss and leaving the team's immediate future at the position uncertain.
Maye was injured on third down in the red zone when he was taken down by Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson was also hurt on the play while celebrating, though he remained in the game. Broadcast cameras showed Maye walking slowly toward the locker room alongside members of the training staff.
The Patriots initially listed Maye as questionable before ruling him out for the remainder of the game. Head coach Mike Vrabel offered no diagnosis afterward.
"We'll see when we come back what it ends up being and the severity of whatever injury he has," Vrabel said.
With Maye sidelined, backup Tommy DeVito took over on the Patriots' next series following a Detroit touchdown. The offense sputtered badly from there: New England punted six times, threw an interception and knelt to run out the clock before halftime. DeVito eventually connected with Lan Larison on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 12:40 remaining for the team's only score of the day.
The injury news compounded as the afternoon progressed. Wide receiver A.J. Brown, already managing ankle and knee issues, entered the medical tent with a hamstring injury after a 22-yard catch and was later ruled out. Offensive lineman Morgan Moses left with a knee injury but returned. Cornerback Charles Woods went to the locker room, defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones departed with cramps, and linebacker Robert Spillane exited with an illness.
The game was played at Allianz Arena as part of the NFL's international series, drawing a European crowd that had come to see one of the league's rising young quarterbacks. Instead, fans watched the Patriots' offense unravel without him.
For a New England team that has leaned heavily on Maye's arm and legs this season, the sight of their franchise quarterback limping off in the first quarter raises immediate questions about the weeks ahead. Vrabel's refusal to speculate on the severity of the injury leaves the organization awaiting further evaluation once the team returns from Germany.
The Patriots return home with a lopsided loss and a lengthening injury report, while Detroit leaves Munich with a convincing win.