The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks have officially arrived in San Jose, signaling the start of Super Bowl week. But as the kickoff at Levi’s Stadium on February 8 approaches, uncertainty is hanging over both sides of the ball for New England. While second-year quarterback Drake Maye is managing a shoulder issue, the bigger concern sits on defense, specifically with the Patriots’ captain.

Upon the team’s arrival in the Bay Area, ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported that one of the Patriots’ key storylines right now revolves around the injury status of linebacker Robert Spillane. Adding to that concern, former NFL head team doctor David J. Chao suggested Spillane’s ankle injury remains “pretty sniff” and, at this point, may be more troubling than Maye’s shoulder situation.

That assessment makes sense once you trace how the injury unfolded. The 30-year-old linebacker went down in the first quarter of the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos, injuring his ankle on a short running play. Spillane stayed on the field briefly before walking to the sideline under his own power. But the trainers soon escorted him to the locker room, and he never returned.

While his absence didn’t alter the outcome of that game, the ripple effects are now very real. Spillane missed the remainder of the AFC title matchup. And he then sat out all three practices in the first reported week afterward. As the Patriots settled into San Jose, he was officially listed as questionable for Super Bowl LX.

The picture became even less clear when head coach Mike Vrabel was asked whether he felt optimistic about Spillane’s chances of playing against Seattle. Vrabel didn’t offer much reassurance. “They didn’t practice today, and I don’t know what’s going to happen nine days from now,” he said, grouping Spillane with linebacker Harold Landry when discussing the injury situation.

From New England’s perspective, this is a significant concern. Spillane had already dealt with an ankle issue during the regular season that forced him to miss four games. Performance-wise, the Patriots would desperately like to have him at full strength for the Super Bowl. Especially, given how central he’s been to the defense.

After signing a three-year, $33 million contract in the offseason, Spillane led the team with 97 tackles during the regular season. He also added five passes defended, two interceptions, one sack, and a forced fumble. He’s also contributed 14 total tackles and two pass breakups so far in the playoffs. Whether he can carry that momentum into the Super Bowl remains uncertain. And given all of that context, it’s not hard to see why Chao labeled Spillane’s ankle as a bigger concern than Maye’s shoulder into the Super Bowl.

A look at Drake Maye’s shoulder injury ahead of the Super Bowl

Drake Maye has been one of the league’s most impressive quarterbacks this season. The second-year signal caller finished the regular season leading the NFL in completion percentage (72%) and yards per attempt (8.9). Along the way, he also ranked top four in both passing yards per game (258.5) and touchdown passes (31). Still, despite that regular-season success, New England is now dealing with a lingering Maye concern heading into the Super Bowl.

The quarterback has been battling a shoulder injury, along with an illness, over the past few days. Maye initially hurt his shoulder during the AFC Championship against the Broncos. At the time, both Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel downplayed the issue when asked. Fast forward to now, though, and it’s becoming harder to brush aside. For context, Maye was previously listed as limited in practice because of the shoulder.

Then, during Friday’s practice last week, he was held out entirely due to that same injury, compounded by illness. The one silver lining is timing, as that missed practice came nine days before the Super Bowl. With nearly a full week remaining before the matchup against the Seahawks, New England is cautiously optimistic about Maye’s health. Official clarity isn’t expected until the second half of the week, but for now, the situation remains something to monitor closely.