Sports
Patriots' Drake Maye declares throwing shoulder 'just fine'
Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images SAN JOSE, Calif. — Drake Maye is concern-free as Super Bowl LX approaches.
That goes for his throwing arm, too.
The New England Patriots’ second-year quarterback said his tender right shoulder feels fine and there’s no reason for worry entering the Sunday clash with the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara, Calif.
“I threw a good bit (today),” Maye said Monday during the Super Bowl Opening Night festivities. “I threw as much as I would in a practice, and it felt great.”
In other words, no worries.
“I feel good. I’ll be just fine,” Maye said.
Maye missed practice on Friday, but not due to the shoulder. Coach Mike Vrabel said Maye was out with an illness.
Vrabel said Monday he’s not concerned about Maye’s shoulder.
“We’ll work through these things through the week, just like everybody else does,” Vrabel said. “But we’re confident that the preparation that’s required for each position on our football team will be there by the end of the week, and everybody will be available.”
Sunday will mark the second time Maye has been inside Levi’s Stadium for a Super Bowl.
His dad took him to Super Bowl 50 when Maye’s favorite boyhood team, the Carolina Panthers, lost to the Denver Broncos.
And, yes, there’s a little bit of pinching involved to believe it’s truly his turn.
“It’s a full-circle moment, that’s the biggest thing,” the 23-year-old Maye said. “So thankful my dad was able to take me to a Super Bowl, I don’t take it for granted. I was watching my favorite team at the time and got a chance to watch Peyton Manning’s last game (for the Broncos).
“Now to be here and playing in one myself, I know how special it is.”
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of North Carolina, Maye completed an NFL-best 72% of his passes this season. He ranked third with 31 passing touchdowns and fourth with 4,394 passing yards.
Most important, he guided the Patriots to a 14-3 record that tied the Seahawks and Denver Broncos for most regular-season wins.
“There’s so many things that he does at an accelerated rate based on his age,” Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said Monday. “He’s 23 years old, but he’s wise beyond his years. He knows how to prepare well, he’s smart, he’s a great leader and he’s very authentic with his teammates.
“And certainly all the physical attributes that we’ve seen all year long: He loves the game, he wants to be good at every aspect of it and that’s a great trait to have as a young player. Playing quarterback in the NFL, there’s really no shortcuts in being good at that position.”
Maye is ready to hone in on his preparation for the week. He understands the Super Bowl hype and the possibility of distractions.
But he said he won’t be paying attention to anything that isn’t related to the game itself.
For example, Maye is considered a co-favorite with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award that will be announced Thursday.
“Anything else outside is nothing I need to worry about,” Maye said. “That’s the biggest thing for me. Just go out there and give our guys a chance to make plays, get them the football. I’ve done that and they’ve made me look good.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Avery Hayes' 2-goal debut propels Penguins past Sabres
Feb 5, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea (5) dives as he takes a shot on goal during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images Avery Hayes lit the lamp twice in an unforgettable NHL debut as the Pittsburgh Penguins put a stop to their two-game losing streak with a 5-2 road victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
Fellow rookie Ben Kindel also found the back of the net twice for the Penguins. Pittsburgh’s Tommy Novak added a goal, and Arturs Silovs made 27 saves.
Tage Thompson tallied his 30th goal of the season and Jason Zucker scored early for the Sabres, who are 1-2-1 in their past four games.
Alex Lyon stopped 27 of the 31 shots he faced in the Sabres’ crease.
Zucker scored against his former team on the first shot of the night as he made a move around a defenseman and sent it into the top corner 1:46 into the contest.
Hayes scored a beauty on his first career shot. He sped around a defender to pick up a loose puck and fired it past Lyon to knot the contest at 1-1 with 10:42 left in the first period.
The undrafted 23-year-old Michigan native continued his dominant debut as he scored again with 1:13 left in the opening frame. He took a between-the-legs no-look pass from Anthony Mantha and sent his one-timer into the top shelf to make it 2-1.
Kindel boosted the margin to 3-1 with 12:16 left in the middle frame as the 18-year-old came roaring down on a 2-on-1 and picked the top corner.
Thompson sniped from a short angle on the power play to cut the deficit to 3-2 with 18:05 left in the third.
Silovs made his biggest save of the night with just over 11 minutes remaining. Thompson used his big frame to power past a defender, but the Penguins’ netminder read the superstar’s move and denied him of his potential second goal of the contest.
Novak extended the lead to 4-2 as the puck bounced out to him on the doorstep and he made no mistake with 4:27 left.
Kindel buried his second of the game into an empty net with 14 seconds left and the Penguins short-handed.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Raptors subdue Bulls' deadline-depleted roster
Feb 5, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Ja’Kobe Walter (14) dunks against Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Brandon Ingram scored 22 of his 33 points in the first half Thursday night and the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls 123-107.
Immanuel Quickley added 24 points for the Raptors, who have won two of three to open a five-game homestand. Sandro Mamukelashvili posted 17 points, Collin Murray-Boyles had 17 points and three blocks, Scottie Barnes notched 13 points and Ja’Kobe Walter scored 12.
The Bulls, who completed seven trades before the deadline, featured two new players in their starting lineup and three overall. Anfernee Simons, acquired from the Boston Celtics for Nikola Vucevic, led the way with 22 points and ex-Detroit Piston Jaden Ivey added 13 as his starting backcourt partner. Guerschon Yabusele had 15 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
Matas Buzelis contributed 18 points for the Bulls, who completed a 1-3 road trip with their sixth loss in seven games. Jalen Smith had 13 points and nine rebounds and Isaac Okoro scored 10.
Toronto led by 12 points going into the fourth quarter. The lead reached 15 on Mamukelashvili’s driving hook with 7:57 to play. Simons cut the lead to 10 on a 3-pointer with 4:53 left, but Quickley’s 3-pointer restored the 15-point margin with 2:34 remaining.
Toronto led 33-25 after the first quarter.
While the Bulls were having problems adjusting to a revamped lineup, the Raptors pulled out to a 15-point lead when Quickley hit a 10-footer with 8:12 to play in the second quarter. The Bulls responded with a 7-0 burst, capped by Simons’ layup with 5:46 to go. The Bulls pulled to within five on Ivey’s steal that set up a Buzelis layup with 1:10 remaining in the first half, but Toronto led 65-58 at halftime.
Toronto shot 58.7% (27-for-46) from the field in the first half. Chicago shot 50% (23-for-46).
Toronto took a 12-point lead early in the third quarter, but the Bulls rallied to forge a 76-76 tie when Buzelis drained a 3-pointer at the 7:28 mark.
Chicago’s lack of familiarity showed again on defense, though, and the Raptors came back with 10 straight points capped by Quickley’s six-foot floater with 5:13 to go. The Raptors led 100-88 after the third quarter.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jock Landale, in debut with new team, helps Hawks down Jazz
Feb 5, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Jock Landale (31) shoots against the Utah Jazz in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Jock Landale matched his season high with 26 points in his Atlanta debut and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23, including the game-winning basket with 1.3 seconds left, helping the Hawks defeat the visiting Utah Jazz 121-119 on Thursday.
Landale was acquired by Atlanta from the Grizzlies on Wednesday, drove from Memphis to Atlanta for the Thursday morning shootaround and was in the starting lineup later that day. He shot 10-for-14 from the field, tied his season high with 11 rebounds, matched his career high with five assists and had a season-best four blocked shots.
With the game tied 119-119 after Utah’s Ace Bailey made a 3-pointer with 10.3 seconds remaining, Alexander-Walker dropped in the go-ahead hoop, which rattled on the rim before falling in. Bailey’s contested 3-point attempt at the buzzer was no good.
Atlanta also got 22 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists from Jalen Johnson, his 10th triple-double of the season. Corey Kispert came off the bench to score 20 as the Hawks won their second game in a row.
Utah was led by Isaiah Collier, who scored a career-high 25 points while adding seven rebounds and 11 assists. Collier played 48 minutes for the second straight game. Bailey didn’t score in the first quarter but finished with 20 points. Lauri Markkanen and Brice Sensabaugh each scored 18.
The win gave Atlanta a sweep of the two-game season series. The Hawks have won four straight against the Jazz.
There were five ties and nine lead changes in the first quarter, which ended with Utah up 31-30 behind Kyle Filipowski’s 10 points. The Jazz ran off nine unanswered points midway through the second period to take a 12-point lead, only to have Atlanta outscore them 18-5 and go up 61-60 entering halftime after a late layup from Alexander-Walker.
Atlanta had a five-point lead early in the third quarter, but Utah rode a 10-point quarter from Bailey to overtake the Hawks and lead 96-92.
Landale’s effort was needed since starter Onyeka Okongwu missed his fourth game since undergoing dental surgery following a nasty elbow in the mouth against the Boston Celtics. Atlanta’s other acquisitions — Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield and Gabe Vincent — had not yet joined the team. The Hawks waived N’Faly Dante and Duop Reath.
Utah’s Keyonte George (left ankle sprain) and Kevin Love (illness) did not play. Newly acquired Chris Boucher, Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. had not joined the team.
–Field Level Media
Avery Hayes' 2-goal debut propels Penguins past Sabres
Raptors subdue Bulls' deadline-depleted roster
