Courtesy of Garrett W. Ellwood / Associated Press

Rumors of a shoulder injury for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye began to circulate following a hard landing in the third quarter of the AFC Championship game on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

Social media doctors, specifically Dr. David Chao pointed to a moment where Maye appeared to clutch his right throwing shoulder after a tackle by Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga. The message from the Patriots on Tuesday however was that the “injury” is effectively a non-factor.

One of the primary reasons for the lack of concern is Maye’s own performance immediately following the play. Just two plays, he delivered a 31-yard completion to Mack Hollins off a flea flicker. Internet doctors began debating whether or not Maye may have injured his right shoulder. Chao specifically was adamant that he suspected an injury.

NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry reported yesterday that Maye was in fact dealing with a right shoulder injury before the game.

Despite the reporting, the Patriots have been dismissive of the idea that Maye is hurt. Head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the speculation during his weekly appearance on WEEI, stating, “No, I wouldn’t say that anybody hurt anything. This is a sport where there’s gonna be things that come up.” Vrabel emphasized the reality of late-season football, noting that “nobody on our team is 100% healthy” after a 21-game stretch.

Maye himself has leaned into the “wear and tear” narrative rather than confirming a specific injury. During an appearance on WEEI, he downplayed the incident in Denver, explaining, “I’m feeling good. I don’t think it’s from the game. I think it’s just the buildup of throwing, including training camp, 30 weeks straight of throwing and four days a week. It can add up.”

With nearly two weeks of rest before Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, the quarterback seems confident that the recovery time will erase any lingering soreness.

“We got some extra rest, and I’m feeling good and ready to go for the Super Bowl,”

Maye told reporters. Between his ability to “throw a dime” shortly after the hit and the dismissal of the rumors by team insiders like Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard—who reported the shoulder is “not believed to be an issue”—the injury talk appears to be more of a social media creation than a legitimate threat to Maye’s Super Bowl availability.