Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye cleared after concussion test, returns to game vs. Chargers

Drake Maye took a huge hit to the head, went to the locker room and missed a series, but the New England Patriots decided to put him back in the game after he was cleared.

On the Patriots' first drive of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Maye took a big hit to the head. Maye went to the locker room when the Chargers put together a long drive for a touchdown. Jacoby Brissett took over at quarterback. The Patriots reported that Maye was questionable with a head injury.

A few minutes later, Maye returned from the locker room, and Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed Maye passed the concussion test and would go back in the game.

"He's been cleared, so looking forward to getting him back on the field," Mayo said in a sideline interview with NFL Network.

Maye suffered a big third-down hit from Chargers cornerback Cam Hart, with Hart's helmet hitting Maye in the helmet as he performed a spin move. No penalty was called because Maye was a runner on the play and trying to stay inbounds.

Maye stayed down for a few seconds, holding his facemask. He got up slowly and went to the sideline, and after sitting on the bench for a few seconds he was summoned to the blue medical tent to be checked for a concussion. Not long after that he left for the locker room.

Maye returned for the Patriots' first drive of the second quarter. On his first drive back he ran it and Chargers linebacker Junior Colson was penalized for hitting Maye in the head after he slid down.

There was concern because Maye missed the second half of a Week 8 game against the New York Jets due to a concussion, though he returned to start the next week.

Maye has had a promising rookie season and Saturday was a chance for a national audience to watch his progress. His day wasn't done early, as it appeared to be for a while.