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“Do We Owe Drake Maye an Apology?”: New Proof Emerges in Viral ‘Blood on Ball’ Photo
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- “Do We Owe Drake Maye an Apology?”: New Proof Emerges in Viral ‘Blood on Ball’ Photo
Drake Maye left Jacksonville with plenty of questions after the Patriots were beaten 35-6. New England struggled from start to finish, and Maye had one of his roughest games since taking over the offense.
The strangest moment came in the first quarter. Maye stood in a clean pocket, started to make a throw and suddenly lost the football without taking a hit. He explained what happened after the game, but many people were not ready to buy it.
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Drake Maye's explanation now has something to back it up
Maye said center Jared Wilson had cut his hand and that blood got onto the football before the snap.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) scrambles against the New England Patriots during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
"Jared happened to be bleeding on his hand," Maye said . "Got the football and was trying to put one to Kyle Williams. Slipped out of my hand."
Maye did not use that explanation to avoid responsibility for the play. He said the ball slipped but acknowledged that he still had to hold on to it.
The explanation sounded unusual to some fans because it came after a difficult game for Maye. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble during New England's 35-6 loss, finishing 14-of-25 for 199 yards as Jacksonville turned the Patriots' mistakes into a one-sided result.
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New evidence then supported Maye's account. NBC Sports Boston shared a close-up photo from photographer Daelyn Waters that appears to show blood on the football involved in the fumble. "Oh yeah, there's blood. Do we owe Drake Maye an apology?" NBC Sports Boston wrote while sharing the image.
The photo does not settle every part of the debate. It appears to confirm that blood was on the ball, but it does not prove when the blood got there or whether it caused the fumble.
Jared Wilson confirms he was bleeding
Wilson's comments add another piece to Maye's explanation. He confirmed that his hand was cut during the game and said trainers had to tape it. "I just got cut up. I have no idea when it happened," Wilson said. He also recalled Maye pointing out the blood before his hand was taped.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) scrambles against the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
One part of the story remains unclear. Wilson could not say whether the cut happened before or after Maye lost the football. Still, the available evidence has changed the picture around the play. Maye said blood got onto the ball. Wilson confirmed that his hand was bleeding and a new photograph appears to show blood on the football.
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None of that erases Maye's two interceptions or New England's poor offensive performance. However, it gives his explanation for the unusual fumble more support than it did when he first offered it.
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The post "Do We Owe Drake Maye an Apology?": New Proof Emerges in Viral 'Blood on Ball' Photo appeared first on Gridiron Heroics .
