Drake Maye Has to 'Protect Himself' Better After Concussion, Patriots HC Mayo Says

Following the team's 25-22 victory over the New York Jets, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sidelined with a concussion after taking a big hit late in the first quarter.

Head coach Jerod Mayo said that the play leading to Maye's placement in the NFL's concussion protocol could serve as a valuable learning experience for the young quarterback.

"This goes back to 'darned if you do, darned if you don't,'" Mayo said Monday according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. "The quarterback is the most important position on the field. He has to protect himself a little better."

The 22-year-old is fast on his feet and often takes the scrambling route when faced with trouble, rushing for 46 yards with one touchdown.

Mayo expressed surprise that Maye was being evaluated for a concussion, as Maye remained in the game after the big hit and even started the second quarter before being pulled by the league, according to Reiss.

"It was called down from the league and they wanted to do further evaluation," Mayo said on Monday, per Reiss. "When I went in there at halftime, he wanted to go back out there. But obviously he didn't pass the test. I'm not going to get too far into that. At the same time, he went out there and threw a couple good balls after, I guess, the supposed hit put him in the protocol."

Mayo added that he's "not sure" if Maye will be available for Sunday's road game against the Tennessee Titans, per Reiss.