New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is not taking any chances with quarterback Drake Maye.
The Patriots’ already eventful offseason nearly took another dramatic turn Thursday when Maye appeared to get shaken up during 11-on-11 drills at mandatory minicamp in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Maye collided with second-year edge rusher Bradyn Swinson during the practice session and struggled to get himself off the field afterward.
That was enough for Vrabel, who immediately ended practice about 25 minutes early.
Fortunately for New England, there has been no reported injury to Maye.
NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran described the tense moment during an appearance on WEEI.
“It was one of those over-exuberant pass rushes by Bradyn Swinson, the second-year player off the edge,” Curran said.
He said the play ended with a completion to new Patriots receiver AJ Brown, who took the ball in for a touchdown.
But Swinson made contact with Maye, and the two players ended up on the ground.
“Bradyn Swinson made a little bit of contact with Drake Maye, and the two of them landed in a heap,” Curran said.
At that point, Vrabel had seen enough.
“Mike Vrabel said, ‘Alright, everybody out of the pool,’” Curran said.
The scare comes as the Patriots try to protect the quarterback they hope will lead the franchise for years to come.
Vrabel is also dealing with other issues in Foxborough.
The reigning NFL Coach of the Year faced controversy earlier this offseason after photos surfaced in March showing him embracing NFL insider and longtime reporter Dianna Russini.
Russini has denied inappropriate behavior and has stood by her reporting. Vrabel briefly stepped away from the team to attend family counseling and admitted he had let the team and his family down.
The Patriots are also working through the situation with star cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, widely viewed as one of the top defensive backs in football, skipped OTAs while contract-extension talks continued. He returned for this week’s mandatory minicamp.
New England picked up Gonzalez’s fifth-year option in April, which will pay him $18 million in 2026, but the cornerback is hoping for a larger long-term deal.
“That’s between my agents and the team,” Gonzalez said this week. “I hope we get something done.”
The Patriots went 14-3 in Vrabel’s first season as head coach before falling to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.