The Patriots' game against the Lions in Munich, Germany, took a sharp turn on New England's first drive. Quarterback Drake Maye exited with an ankle injury after a third-down sack by Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson with just under 10 minutes left in the first quarter. The Patriots had already finished that opening possession with a field goal, giving them an early 3-0 lead, before the injury halted the drive's aftermath. Maye limped to the locker room and spent time with head coach Mike Vrabel on the sideline before being taken off for further evaluation. The team later designated him questionable to return.

Tommy DeVito replaced Maye at the start of New England's next possession. DeVito, a former Giants fan favorite who was with the Patriots last season without appearing in a game, had attempted eight passes this season entering Sunday and completed four of them. Maye had completed three of four passes for 48 yards before leaving, and his exit came at a difficult stretch for him. After finishing as the MVP runner-up last year, he had struggled in 2026, throwing 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions through nine games as the Patriots stood at 5-4.S1S2

The sack also left Hutchinson hurt. The Lions' star was evaluated in the blue medical tent and went back to the locker room after suffering an apparent injury during his sack celebration, leaving both teams dealing with injury concerns at the same time. Maye's status for the rest of the game remained uncertain as the team's evaluation continued.S1S2