The New England Patriots are in the midst of a heated divisional battle against the New York Jets. They are currently down at home 16-14, and rookie quarterback Drake Maye has had his share of ups and downs. However, the rest of his afternoon is on hold. He's been ruled out to return due to a concussion, according to multiple sources on X, formerly Twitter.

“Patriots HC Jerod Mayo says Drake Maye is done for the day- the rookie suffered a concussion,” posted Patriots reporter @LosTalksPats on the social media platform. “Mayo reiterated that the team must embrace ‘that next man up mentality' no matter the position.”

Maye had a 17-yard touchdown run on New England's second drive, where 28 of his 46 yards on the ground occurred. He was also 3-of-3 for 23 yards through the air. That drive shows why he could be the long-term answer at quarterback. For now though, the focus turns to the 2024 NFL Draft No.3 pick's health. Since he's been ruled out due to a concussion, the focus is now twofold. First, win today's game against the Jets. Second, make sure Maye's long-term health isn't affected by today's unfortunate turn of events.

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass against the New York Jets in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Maye's performance today was indicative of why the team selected him with the third pick in April. He's shown poise, strong athletic ability, quick decision making and an ability to lead. The new Patriots' hierarchy led by head coach Jerod Mayo and executive vice president Eliot Wolf has a lot of faith in Maye, and this injury is certainly disheartening to hear about for the organization and its fans.

Now attention turns to making sure Maye is 100 percent healthy and not rushing him back before he's ready. Concussions are a serious injury, and the focus on player health and safety has never been higher. Maye's status as the hopeful next franchise quarterback makes his recovery of extreme important. Veteran Jacoby Brissett can fill in for as long as he's healthy, as he's been a capable signal caller in the past, including this season. Once Maye is ready to be back and fully healed up, then this is team to lead.