Former Gator and current New York Jets defensive back Marcus Maye went down on Thursday with a non-contact injury during a game against the Indianapolis Colts. Maye grabbed his right ankle and looked behind him as the play unfolded, and Jets coach Robert Saleh expressed immediate concern for him after the game.
“You look at that secondary and (Maye) is the vet,” Saleh said after the game. “You’ve got a lot of second-year, rookie players on that back end and Marcus was kind of that settling force back there and obviously a heck of a football player. Again, I’m more concerned for Marcus than I am about what we’ll do defensively to try to fill that void. He’s a fantastic young man. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do and, for him, I’m sick for him.”
Saleh confirmed that Maye would miss the rest of the season Friday morning with a tear of the Achilles tendon.
Coach Saleh gives updates on injuries. pic.twitter.com/7NFTagKkj9
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 5, 2021
Maye is set to become a free agent after playing under the franchise tag this season, and an Achilles tear is likely to hurt any player’s value on the market. The former Gator addressed his fans on Twitter and appears hopeful for a comeback.
“Leaning on my faith,” Maye wrote. “Y’all just pray for me and wish the best for me! I love my teammates more than y’all know! Hold it down! I’ll be alright, God got me!”
Maye finished the season with 42 tackles, a sack and two pass deflections. He’s the third Jet to go down with a torn Achilles this year. At Florida, his senior year in 2016 was ended prematurely as well, but it was because of a shoulder injury instead.
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