North Carolina Tar Heels legend Drake Maye did not need this right now.
Who had former North Carolina Tar Heels star Drake Maye leading the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl in his second NFL season on their bingo card?
If you say you do, I don't believe you, considering the Patriots were horrible when they drafted Maye, went just 4-13 in his rookie campaign and had what many felt was the worst roster in football just 12 months ago.
Nevertheless, here we are, heading into February 2026, and Maye has New England in position to win a championship.
But will Maye actually be 100 percent against the Seattle Seahawks?
The North Carolina product suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder during the Pats' AFC Championship Game victory over the Denver Broncos, which was enough to put his Super Bowl status in question.
Not only that, but Maye is now battling an illness and missed practice on Friday, marking the first time he has been sidelined for practice all season.
"We've had a lot of guys over the last month, six weeks here, with illness," said Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, via ESPN's Mike Reiss. "So, again, just trying to do what's best for the player and the team. I'm trying to take care of guys -- don't spread anything."
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.Essentially, Maye was out because he was sick; not because of the shoulder. But the fact that the 23-year-old is dealing with all of this right before the biggest game of his life is beyond irritating.
Maye did not play well versus the Broncos, going 10-for-21 with 86 yards in the Patriots' 10-7 win. Yes, he also carried the ball 10 times for 65 yards and New England's lone touchdown, but you obviously want to see him throwing the ball better.
Will he be able to do that against a tough Seahawks team with a compromised shoulder? We will find out next Sunday.
Maye threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 72 percent of his passes and posting a 113.5 passer rating during the regular season. The latter two statistics led the league.
The Huntersville, N.C. native spent three years with the Tar Heels between 2021 and 2023 before ultimately being selected by the Pats with the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.