FOXBORO — Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye has been cleared to return for Saturday’s game against the Chargers after being evaluated for a head injury.

Maye took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Chargers cornerback Cam Hart on a scramble in the Patriots’ first offensive drive when he was attempting to scramble for a first down. Maye stayed down on the turf after the hit. After briefly sitting on the bench, he was taken into the blue pop-up medical tent on the Patriots’ sideline before departing for the locker room.

He returned to the sideline from the locker room near the end of the first quarter.

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Maye already suffered one concussion this season in a Week 8 win over the Jets. He missed the rest of that game but was back for a Week 9 overtime loss to the Titans.

Jacoby Brissett is the Patriots’ backup quarterback. Rookie Joe Milton III is inactive as the team’s emergency third quarterback. He can’t play unless Maye and Brissett both leave the game with injuries.