New York Jets safety Marcus Maye missed the first of many expected games in Week 4 with a serious ankle sprain that’ll likely take him out of commission through the team’s Week 6 bye.
Late on Monday evening, October 4, insult was added to injury.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini was first to report the news that Maye is facing charges stemming from a car accident just after 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on February 22, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
According to Broward County court records, police arrested Maye and charged him with driving under the influence — his first DUI offense — as well as damage to property and person and leaving the scene of a crash.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges, according to court documents.
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Discipline From the NFL Could Be on Its Way
The league is currently investigating the incident, NFL Vice President of Communications Brian McCarthy told ESPN, and Maye is subject to the league’s personal conduct policy.
In the enhanced 2021 version of the policy, Maye is potentially subject to a six-game suspension without pay pending further evaluation from the league.
Additionally, The Athletic reported that “because the arrest was not previously reported to the NFL, Maye faces potential discipline, which could include a suspension.”
NFL CommunicationsA screenshot of the NFL’s 2021 personal conduct policy.
The Jets released a brief statement to ESPN, saying, “We’re not going to comment on a pending legal matter.”
Maye’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, also released a statement, via ESPN:
It is an ongoing legal matter and our attorney has advised us we cannot comment. We are confident it will be positively resolved. We look forward to Marcus getting back on the field soon.
The next hearing between Maye’s representation and the state’s attorney is scheduled virtually on October 20, according to court documents.
According to the police report, Maye was “unresponsive when approached and moving side to side” and “seemed unaware of what was occurring” when officers found him in his black 2018 Mercedes SUV. Police said damage to Maye’s SUV was consistent with damage to the left rear of the Volvo at the scene of the accident. According to their report, police observed vomit on the driver’s side door and floor and said they smelled alcohol on Maye’s breath, and that his eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred at the time of the incident.
Maye declined a sobriety test or to provide police with a sample of his breath, according to the police report. Maye told police that the smell of alcohol was from two days before (February 20) and that he had not been drinking prior to the crash, according to the police report.
What Does This Mean for Maye’s Future?
At the very least, this latest report complicates matters for the Jets ahead of the NFL’s November 2 trade deadline.
Shortly after the news of Maye’s injured ankle leaked through social media, his agent tweeted a very cryptic statement saying his star safety “should be back fully healthy just before the trade deadline.”
The 28-year-old, who was voted on by his teammates as the team’s MVP in 2020, is currently playing on the franchise tag for $10.6 million and was having a spectacular season for the green and white.
As of September 29, Pro Football Focus ranked Maye as the ninth “highest graded Safety” dating back to 2018 with a mark of 88.3.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh refused to comment on Burkhardt’s social media outburst, instead, saying they can’t wait to have Maye back on the team to prove why he’s one of the best safeties in the NFL.
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Jets’ Marcus Maye Facing NFL Discipline After Newly Surfaced Arrest