Drake Maye is healthy and set to start for the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos. He has a chance to achieve something the franchise has never done by winning a playoff game in Denver. With the Patriots unbeaten on the road this season, Maye leads a confident team into a hostile, high-altitude environment.

History hangs heavy in Denver, especially for the New England Patriots. The thin air, the noise, and the playoff scars of the past all return this weekend as the AFC Championship sets the stage for something the franchise has never pulled off. This is not about nostalgia or legacy alone. It is about opportunity, pressure, and a quarterback stepping into a moment that once swallowed even the greatest names.The Patriots arrive with momentum and belief. Road games have become their comfort zone this season, not a burden. The stakes could not be higher, and the quarterback at the center of it all understands exactly what is in front of him. Denver offers no sympathy, only resistance, history, and a direct path to the Super Bowl.

Drake Maye injury update and what it means for New England

Drake Maye is healthy and will start for the New England Patriots against the Denver Broncos in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game. No injury designation followed Maye into the weekend, clearing the way for him to lead an offense chasing history in one of the league’s toughest playoff environments.Maye has a rare chance to do something not even Tom Brady managed in a Patriots uniform. New England is winless in four playoff games played in Denver, with Brady going 0 for 3. That context is not lost on the rookie quarterback.“Just the AFC championship, the chance to go to the Super Bowl. That’d be huge,” Maye said. “Another road environment that’s had success in the past. … I know it would be a big-time win.”The Patriots earned this opportunity by beating Houston in the divisional round and finishing the regular season unbeaten on the road. That mentality has been reinforced all year under head coach Mike Vrabel.“Coach (Vrabel) has always been saying, ‘Road warriors,’” Maye said. “So, we’re trying to find that one more time and finish out strong what we’ve done this year.”Denver’s home record and altitude remain real obstacles, but New England enters healthy at quarterback and confident in its approach. For Maye, availability is not the question. Execution is.