FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Despite a recent tweet by his agent that suggested he’s open to a trade, New York Jets safety Marcus Maye said Thursday that he wants to remain with the team — a sentiment he shared with Jets officials.
“They know I want to be here,” Maye said. “They know I’m 100% with my guys.”
The NFL trading deadline is Nov. 2, and Maye’s name is floating in the rumor mill. The Jets (1-4) are on the verge of falling out of contention, and there’s some question as to whether they want to sign him to a long-term contract extension. Maye, 28, is playing on a $10.6 million franchise tag.
A few days after a Week 3 ankle injury, Maye’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, tweeted it would be a three- to four-week injury, adding that Maye would be healthy by the trading deadline. That fueled the speculation.
Maye, speaking to reporters for the first time since then, said he has no control over what his agent tweets, adding that it was just an injury update.
He said he has not — and will not — request a trade. He wants to remain with the Jets, the team that drafted him in the second round in 2017.
“Yeah, of course, I’m here,” said Maye, who wanted a contract last offseason that would’ve made him one of the league’s highest-paid safeties. “Every time I’m in this building, I’m 100%. Every time I’m on the field, I’m 100%. I’m going to be with my guys no matter what.”
Maye, who has missed two games with his injury, is poised to return to the lineup Sunday against the New England Patriots (2-4) at Gillette Stadium.
His long-term future could be impacted by pending DUI charges, stemming from a Feb. 22 arrest in Broward County, Florida. Defying league rules, Maye didn’t report the incident to the Jets. They didn’t find out until Oct. 4, when it was first reported by ESPN.
Asked whether coach Robert Saleh was blindsided by the arrest, Maye said, “They all were, but we talked and we moved on.”
Maye said he’s “not allowed” to comment on the case. He also refused to comment on why he hid it from the organization for seven months, which could factor into whether he’s disciplined by the NFL. The league office is reviewing the matter and could decide to suspend him. Maye doesn’t believe it has fractured his relationship with the organization.
“They know me,” he said. “Once I’m in the building, I’m all go. I don’t think there’s a trust issue from my end and stuff like that. They know I’m 100% with these guys every time I step on the field and walk in the building.”
Saleh said the organization supports Maye, who initiated a meeting with his coach because it was “the adult thing to do, just owning up to my situation.” That, of course, was after it was reported by media outlets. Maye was charged with three misdemeanors — driving under the influence, DUI/damage to property and person, and leaving the scene of a crash. There were no injuries, but he’s being sued by a woman who alleges that Maye crashed into her car and caused damage to the vehicle.
Maye said he’s remorseful.
“Oh, yeah, definitely,” he said. “The situation happened. I definitely feel sorry for it. I learned from it. … You have to keep going.”