Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye was eventually placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol, but he initially stayed in Sunday’s win over the Jets after taking a shot to the head from linebacker Jamien Sherwood.

Patriots Coach Jerod Mayo provided some clarity on why Maye was evaluated first in the team’s blue pop-up medical tent and then in the locker room.

“It was called down from the league. They wanted to do further evaluation,” Mayo said on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” “When I went in there at halftime, (Maye) wanted to go back out there, but obviously he didn’t pass the test.

“And not going to get too far into that, but, at the same time, he went out there and threw a couple good balls after, I guess, supposedly put him in the protocol.”

Maye was slow to get up after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Sherwood while sliding at the tail end of an 18-yard scramble. The Patriots ran one more play before the quarter ended.

After the break at the end of the quarter, Maye stayed on the field for three more plays – a handoff, a sack and an incomplete pass that wide receiver Kayshon Boutte dropped – before the Patriots were forced to punt.

When the Patriots went back to the sideline, Maye went into the medical tent with the sideline unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant before exiting and walking to the locker room.

Mayo said he didn’t see any warning signs from Maye after taking the helmet-to-helmet hit.

“I did not. I was surprised when (head trainer Jim) Whalen told me he had to go to the medical tent because he threw a couple of good balls afterward, and I thought he was still pretty sharp in those regards,” Mayo said. “But obviously, it’s above my pay grade as far as pulling him out of the game and putting him in the protocol.”

Maye didn’t emerge from the locker room and was ruled out of the game after halftime.

Mayo said on WEEI that he’s not sure when Maye will return.

The rookie QB must follow the NFL’s return-to-participation protocol.