FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye's knack for escaping the pocket and running comes with risk, with coach Jerod Mayo saying the play that landed him in the NFL's concussion protocol Sunday can be a learning experience for him.
"This goes back to 'darned if you do, darned if you don't,'" Mayo said Monday in his weekly interview on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" when asked about young quarterbacks who take off and run. "The quarterback is the most important position on the field. He has to protect himself a little better."
Maye had scrambled up the middle for 18 yards late in the first quarter of Sunday's 25-22 win over the New York Jets, and as he was sliding at the end of the run, linebacker Jamien Sherwood's helmet contacted the back of Maye's helmet.
Maye didn't get up immediately, with teammates Rhamondre Stevenson and Kayshon Boutte coming over to him, and Boutte offering his hand to help Maye get to his feet. Boutte tapped the back of Maye's helmet in a show of support.
Maye stayed in the game, handing off on the final play of the first quarter. He remained in the game through the start of the second quarter, handing off again on a running play, taking a sack, and then throwing an accurate pass over the middle that Boutte dropped on third-and-12.
It was at that point that Mayo said the Patriots' sideline received word from the NFL.
"It was called down from the league and they wanted to do further evaluation," Mayo said Monday. "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 said because of that, he was surprised when informed that Maye was being evaluated for a concussion. He added that he's "not sure" if Maye will be available for Sunday's game at the Tennessee Titans.
Players in the NFL's concussion protocol follow a five-step process before their return to action, which can come only when cleared by an independent doctor.
Maye had a 17-yard touchdown run earlier in the game. At the time he exited the game, he had totaled 46 yards on three scrambles, giving him 114 yards on 13 rushes this season (8.7-yard average).
Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who started the first five games of the season, took over for Maye on Sunday and played the final three quarters.
Trailing 22-17 with 2:57 remaining in regulation, Brissett and the offense took over at the New England 30-yard line. At that point in the game, ESPN Analytics gave the Patriots a 23% chance to win.
Brissett was 5-of-9 for 53 yards on the game-winning drive, including a key 14-yard scramble. The drive ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Stevenson.
"You never want to see a player go down," Brissett said after the game. "Obviously hoping Drake gets back."