Drake Maye makes promise to Patriots fans after postseason struggles

FOXBORO — The sting of Sunday’s 29-13 Super Bowl LX defeat to the Seahawks still lingered inside Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, but Drake Maye left no doubt that the page will turn quickly. Speaking after the Patriots’ final exit meetings, the second-year quarterback delivered a direct message to New England’s fan base.

“Appreciate the fans and support,” Maye said. “I know I didn’t play as well as I would have liked down the stretch, and promise to do my best to work hard and get us back to those moments in those games.”

The vow came unprompted following a postseason in which Maye’s production dipped sharply from his MVP-caliber regular season. After completing a league-best 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns and only eight interceptions during the year, the 23-year-old saw his playoff numbers slide to 58.3 percent passing, 822 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. He also fumbled seven times in four postseason games after putting the ball on the ground eight times in 17 regular-season contests.

Maye’s right shoulder, jarred on a hit by Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga in the AFC Championship Game, required a pain-killing injection before the Super Bowl. He said no procedure is necessary, only rest.

“Time’s the best healer,” Maye noted. “Nothing that needs anything to be done.”

Despite the physical setback, Maye refused to lean on it as an excuse. “You can’t blame things on injuries,” he said. “Things happen like this all the time in the league. I was blessed this year.”

Looking ahead, Maye expressed excitement about a second season in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ system, something he has yet to experience in the NFL. “Lord-willing and knock on wood, the same offense for the second year,” he said. “The sky’s the limit for us.”

Players will scatter after Tuesday’s meetings, but Maye already has the calendar circled: “Ten weeks until we’re back here.” In the interim, he plans to rest his shoulder and savor the first offseason as a married man. “I’ve got a beautiful wife,” he said. “That’s going to be the highlight of my offseason.”

When the Patriots reconvene for voluntary workouts in April, Maye will again be under center, carrying both the memory of February’s disappointment and the promise he made to a loyal fan base hungry for another championship run.