A quarterback with a banged-up shoulder is not usually a cause for alarm for a Super Bowl defense, but Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald sees something different in Drake Maye. Ahead of the biggest game of the year, Macdonald has warned his team about the New England Patriots‘ QB1, who has been on an absolute tear through the 2025 season.

“He is a tremendous player, he really is,” Macdonald said in his recent press conference. “He’s strong. He’s fast. All the things. Great arm talent, great decision-making. We’ve got to be on our stuff up front.”

Macdonald made this comment after addressing the Seahawks’ pass-rush defense against Maye’s running abilities, especially in third-down situations.

“We’re going through that process right now of how we want to play,” Macdonald said. “I think the key is trying to create as many of those (third-and-long) situations as possible.”

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Maye threw for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions during the regular season. The 23-year-old led the NFL in completion percentage (72%), passer rating (113.5), and yards per pass attempt (8.9). He also had 450 rushing yards with four rushing scores during the regular season, the fourth most among all NFL quarterbacks.

Maye has continued this form in the playoffs, recording four touchdown passes and two interceptions while showcasing his incredible running ability. He had 10 carries for 66 yards in the Patriots’ first playoff game, a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round.

He then showcased his mobility in a second-half blizzard in the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos as he scored the game’s only touchdown on a 6-yard run late in the third quarter, and he finished with 10 carries for 65 yards in the game.

Maye is considered a front-runner for the MVP award alongside the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford. The NFL will announce the winner on Thursday in San Francisco.

Despite these positives, there are significant issues in the Patriots’ offense.

Maye has been sacked 15 times in the playoffs (5.0 per game), compared with 47 times during the regular season, the ninth-most in the league. Coincidentally, the Seahawks recorded 47 regular-season sacks, tied for seventh-most in the league.

Because of this, the Patriots’ offensive line must be extra careful against a dominant Seattle defense, especially given their QB1’s injury ahead of the Super Bowl.

Patriots add Drake Maye to injury list ahead of Super Bowl

After the AFC Championship win against the Broncos, Drake Maye (questionable) was placed on the injury list as he had a banged-up right shoulder. In the third quarter of the game, safety Talanoa Hufanga tackled him and landed hard on his right shoulder at the end of a 13-yard run, leading to his injury. He acknowledged having “bumps and bruises” after the win on Sunday.

However, Maye appeared confident about his injury during an interview with sports radio WEEI.

“I’m feeling good,” Maye said earlier this week. “Going to get some extra rest. I really don’t think it was from the game, but just the build-up from throwing. This is what, including training camp, 30 weeks of straight throwing, four days a week. It can add up. I got some extra rest, feeling good and ready to go for the Super Bowl.”

With this positive reaction to his injury, the New England faithful will hope that Drake Maye is ready to lead the Patriots and recreate memories of their Super Bowl XLIX win against the Seattle Seahawks.