Marcus Maye mum on arrest, but wants to remain with Jets

gary phillips

Thu, Oct 21, 2021, 7:30 PM·3 min read

Marcus Maye didn’t have much to say about the past on Thursday, but he knows he wants his future to include New York.

The Jets safety made it clear that he doesn’t want to be traded before the Nov. 2 deadline, stating, “I’m 100 percent with my guys.” Maye’s agent recently insinuated that the defensive back was looking for a change of scenery. “Should be back fully healthy just before the trade deadline,” Erik Burkhardt tweeted when Maye injured his ankle at the end of September.

With Maye now set to return in Week 7, he made it clear that he wants to be a Jet.

“They know I want to be here,” Maye said, referring to the organization.

Whether Maye is wanted is a different story. The Jets are 1-4 and the 28-year-old is playing on a $10.6 million franchise tag after the two sides failed to agree on a long-term extension over the offseason. Re-tagging Maye this coming offseason is an option for the Jets, though that wouldn’t sit well with the safety.

Maye said that he will not request a trade, though that might be the more practical move from New York’s standpoint. However, that possibility was complicated by DUI charges stemming from a Feb. 22 arrest in Florida. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported that story on Oct. 4 while Maye was still out with the ankle injury. That was when the Jets first found out about the incident; Maye, in violation of NFL rules, didn’t disclose the arrest to the organization.

The NFL is reviewing the incident. The lack of disclosure could lead to additional discipline.

Maye was charged with misdemeanors of driving under the influence, DUI/damage to property and person, and leaving the scene of a crash. No one was hurt, but he is facing a lawsuit from the woman whose vehicle he allegedly crashed into. Maye has a court hearing via Zoom set for Oct. 27, just a few days before the trade deadline.

Maye said that he is not allowed to comment on the case, and he declined to explain why he kept his arrest from the Jets. However, he did express remorse and insisted that he learned from the arrest. He believes that he is still on good terms with the franchise that drafted him in the second round in 2017. Robert Saleh previously said as much.

“They know me,” Maye 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 percent with these guys every time I step on the field and walk in the building.”