Drake Maye’s three interceptions sink Patriots in season-opening loss at Seattle

The New England Patriots opened their season with a defeat they largely created themselves, falling to the Seattle Seahawks on a Wednesday night kickoff in which every turnover belonged to quarterback Drake Maye.

Maye, who finished near the top of MVP voting in 2025, entered the year looking to move past a difficult Super Bowl performance. Instead, his first outing of the new campaign produced three interceptions — the only giveaways by either team — with the final one coming at the most costly possible moment.

Trailing by three with under a minute remaining, New England had driven into field goal range and, with Seattle out of timeouts, needed only to protect the ball to force overtime or set up a tying kick. Rather than playing it safe, Maye forced a throw toward Mack Hollins in the end zone, where Josh Jobe pulled down an acrobatic toe-tap interception to end the game.

Maye took responsibility afterward. “Lost patience and it cost us,” he told reporters. “Those decisions cost us the game on my part… Can’t have those, it’s unacceptable.”

Head coach Mike Vrabel echoed that framing, saying the second-year quarterback crossed the line from aggressive play into recklessness. “We want to be aggressive, not reckless,” Vrabel said postgame.

Seattle’s quarterback situation made the outcome more frustrating for New England. Drew Lock, the Seahawks’ backup, played a significant portion of the contest and steadily grew more comfortable as the night went on, while Maye’s play became increasingly erratic. The contrast between the two passing performances ultimately shaped a game the Patriots had every chance to win.

Broadcast angle

The nationally televised opener ran on Comcast-owned NBC and its Peacock streaming platform, giving the network a high-profile, high-drama showcase to open the NFL season. Comcast’s stock closed at $24.59 on the day, down 6.61% from the previous close of $26.33, valuing the media and telecommunications company at roughly $92.5 billion. The company spans broadband, studios, theme parks, and media properties, making live NFL rights a marquee piece of its content portfolio.

What to watch

• How Maye responds in New England’s next outing after a turnover-heavy opener and pointed self-assessment.
• Whether Vrabel adjusts the offensive approach to limit high-risk throws in late-game situations.
• Update on the Seahawks’ starting quarterback situation, given Lock’s extended playing time.
• Peacock viewership figures for the kickoff game, which will signal NFL audiences’ draw for Comcast’s streaming business.
• Comcast’s upcoming quarterly earnings, where management commentary on sports rights and streaming retention will be closely tracked.

Source: original release