HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Q. I'm guessing you might be pleased with the finish and kind of taking care of business before heading into the postseason.
MV: Yeah, and I think there was a little lull there in the second quarter, but I really appreciate the way that the defense responded after the block to force them to make a long kick, and then the way the offense was able to go back and get Andy into field goal range, and fantastic kick by him.
I tried to ask them to replicate those last two series and that intensity and that execution as we went into the second half, and I think that's what we saw.
Q. What's your initial reaction to learning that you guys will host the Chargers next weekend?
MV: We'll get ready and get rolling and try to do what we do every week, which is prepare and figure out who we have available and what we feel like the keys are going to be and try to practice and be ready to go. That's all we've done all year, and that's all we'll be able to do this week in the playoffs.
Q. Just a thought on Rhamondre today with 131 yards rushing, 22 receiving, three touchdowns. The last three games, seems like especially after contact he's been real good. Just what you've seen from him.
MV: Just building his confidence. I appreciate all of our backs' ability to protect, and Rhamondre does that. I think that goes sometimes unnoticed, and I know that that's not as sexy or exciting as the run game production and the pass receiving, but he cares deeply about this team. I was excited to be able to have him be a game captain for us, and I think he's just continued to get better. He's continued to make people miss and to run hard and still protect the football.
Q. I know you have to review the film, but what did you see from Will Campbell and Milton Williams throughout the week and today in their return?
MV: I mean, I thought that they were okay. I thought that Milton factored a few times. Again, a lot of great efforts out there. I'm not going to single Will or Milton out. I'm sure they did okay.
Q. You end this first season with 14 wins. Just what does it mean for you to have a start like this here?
MV: It means we are the second seed and we're going to host the Chargers, and we start over. The only wins that matter are going to be the ones that we can get moving forward.
Q. To that point, when you stood in this room months ago and said we want to win the division, host playoff games and compete for championships, you're here. I understand the season is not over, but how does that happen in a matter of months?
MV: We got the right guys in the building at the right time, and we got good quarterback play. We figured out how to not beat ourselves. I think we play to an identity, and guys make plays. That's what happens. I'm excited for all those guys that -- again, when you chase wins, usually the production comes along with it, so we need to focus on winning and the efforts that are going to help us win, and in turn you end up with all the plays that you're going to need, and I think you saw that.
Q. I'm just curious, with Rhamondre Stevenson, is there anything you can pinpoint to the turnaround he had towards the second half of the season from the fumbling issues early on to now just kind of dominating on the field?
MV: Just hard work and perseverance. I think Tony and all the offensive coaches do a great job in emphasizing ball security, and I think just him being -- we kind of felt like we got into a little flow with him and TreVeyon and Rhamondre and kind of figuring out where that balance was, and I think that they did a great job. We need them both. We need D'Ernest. But figuring out the balance with Rhamondre and TreVeyon and those guys both taking advantage of the opportunities that they have. I felt like that's a good flow by Josh and Tony calling the game and getting the guys in there.
To the players' credit, they take advantage of the times that they get, the touches that they get.
Q. With that said, how important is it this time of the year to establish that running game and that physical presence heading into the playoffs?
MV: Well, you'd better be able to do that in the tournament, and you'd better be able to take care of the football. You'd better be able to create some turnovers, and you have to have efficient quarterback play. That's no secret. And you're going to have to execute in situations like we did at the end of the half, whether that be at the end of the half or the end of the game to get some points. But that's what it comes down to.
Q. Jack Gibbons forced a fumble, almost had an interception. What has he meant to you this season, specifically since he's had to step into a bigger role without Robert Spillane?
MV: Well, he's always prepared. We talk about playing multiple positions with limited reps, so he's always prepared. Usually in the right place at the right time, and takes coaching, and he's a very instinctive player. Gets everybody lined up. He's a great communicator. He's a great teammate. Excited and happy that we have him.
Q. You called a time-out on the 4th and 1 play in the first half. Was that mainly due to the play clock running out or trying to give yourself the time to check the spot on Hunter's catch?
MV: Probably a little bit of both, making sure that we had the right personnel. We didn't execute the play, so a little bit of that is being able to check the spot, see if it was a little closer. But just didn't execute very well on that particular play.
Q. When you signed Stefon Diggs in the off-season, you probably had an idea of what you wanted to see from him. He goes over 1,000 yards in the year for a seventh time in his career. What have you seen from him in terms of his leadership on and off the field and the performance today?
MV: Very consistent. I mean, he sits where Mike sits every day. He's up front. He's attentive. There's an energy to him. He's been out there. He's been available. He's taking care of his body.
Then the production, I think has been fantastic. I'm glad that we have him.
Q. Turnover differential, how key has that been in the overly aspect of what this team has done?
MV: I mean, it's gotten better, right? We battled back. It wasn't very good. When you have five in one game, you've got plenty to make up. But I felt like there was a conscious effort, and the attempts on defense improved. The ball security, the two in traffic, not relaxing at the sideline, quarterback making great decisions, I think that there was a conscious effort to do that.
In this league when the games are as close as they are, that makes a big difference. We need to still try to affect the football and turn it over defensively. I'm just frustrated with the blocked field goal. We went all 17 weeks, and all we did was become the 38th or 39th blocked field goal in the NFL this year. Appreciate you guys. See you in a couple days.
QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Q. Drake, just a thought on what you guys were able to do. You were here last year; 14 wins, you make the playoffs, you'll host the Chargers here next weekend in a first-round match-up. How excited are you about what you guys were able to accomplish today and all season long?
DM: Yeah, I think we've come a long way. I think it takes everybody. It took everybody in that locker room, took every coach. I think it starts now. This was one of the goals, home playoff games, and this is what we wanted. It's win or go home, and the mentality, nothing changes from that standpoint, but I think we just stay playing like us. We've built this identity and play to it, and I think good things happen.
Q. Drake, do you have any kind of relationship with Justin Herbert, and what do you like about him as a quarterback?
DM: Yeah, I don't know if I've met Justin. I don't think I have. I know him through people and heard great things. Obviously I love his game. I love the way he throws the football. He throws at a really high level. He can make plays on the move, can make plays off platform, can launch it.
I think just the way he holds himself and cares about his teammates, he's really good the team and not about himself, I have a lot of respect for Justin and how he plays the game and plays at a really high level.
Q. In a likely MVP season, I'm interested in what you feel like your greatest accomplishments were this year, whether it's from a statistical standpoint with the QB rating or whatever you were able to accomplish, what stands out to you that you're the most proud of?
DM: Yeah, I think 14 wins. That's the first thing that comes to mind. 14 wins and probably 8-0 on the road. That's probably the thing I'm the most proud of is going on the road eight times and coming out victorious in all of them. So that was pretty cool.
From there, I think just the ability to get a lot of people involved. I think that's one of the best things about our offense. We get a lot of people involved. A lot of people catch and pass, a lot of people scoring touchdowns, a lot of guys making plays at different parts in the game, and I think that's one of the toughest things about ways to defend us. So that's probably what I'm most proud of.
Q. Drake, Christian just mentioned you guys might not even enjoy this one tonight because obviously the playoffs are here next weekend. What was the messaging in the locker room as far as that goes, understanding it's a whole new season? Where is your mind at in that regard?
DM: Yeah, that's what Coach Vrabel just hit on at the end. It's a whole different ballgame. It's win or go home, and that's what -- you lay it all out on the line. This is what you play in the NFL for. Playoff games, playoff games at home and a home crowd. Obviously we have an opponent coming in, and I know they've got some great players. We saw them here last year. They're a good team.
Q. Drake, you guys are up 14-0, everything looked great, then it was 14-10 and things were stumbling a little bit. What made you guys able to find your rhythm again after that and score 24 straight points to end the game?
DM: Yeah, I think it's just staying true to us. I think offense staying on track, getting ahead of the chains. I think the first three-and-out we had, it was three straight incompletions. I've got to find a way to get the ball in people's hands to make some plays and not have three incompletions.
Then from there we had a field goal that got blocked. Just play true to us. It wasn't really something that they were doing. It was just us executing. Played a lot of zone tonight, so just executing our zone, getting good spacing, and finding ways to catch it and get upfield, and from there, our defense made some big plays. Coming out of the half, the interception was huge, and we just didn't stop from there.
Q. How would you describe Rhamondre Stevenson's impact of late and now the opportunity to use him in the passing game the way you have the last few weeks, complementing what TreVeyon is able to do?
DM: Yeah, he's a tough back. He can move. He's agile. He's got a little two-foot jump cut that I just love watching on film. He just makes people miss like that. He's got great hands. He's smart. He blocks in protection unbelievable this year. He always tells me I owe him something. I really do; I do owe him something. He's done a great job. From there, we're trying to have backs that can do in in all three phases, running the football, catching the football and blocking, and I think him and TreVeyon have done a great job of that. Obviously we missed AG, but AG is another one. So having three backs that can do that, and Rhamondre -- you guys see him around here. He's as cool as can be and calm and chill, and he's a great player in this league.
Q. You mentioned the 14 wins being the accomplishment that you seized on the most. This team won four games last year. It won four the year before that. How did this happen? How did this transformation happen so quickly?
DM: Yeah, I think it starts from the top down, I think from Kraft to them deciding to hire Coach Vrabel to kind of bringing him in here and really just buying into what he was coaching us hard and coaching us to believe in. I think from there, it's us players -- got some new players in here, some new faces. I think that the organization has really gelled well together. We enjoy being around these guys. I know a lot of the defensive guys well and enjoy being around them. I don't think it's really any me, me, me. I think the most me, me, me you saw this year was us getting some guys some incentives out there tonight. I think that was probably the most. That's just something that they've earned. I think from there, everybody pulls for each other. We're trying to get off the sideline to pump each other up, and it's always -- it's never a doubt in belief in what this team can do, and it works all three phases. We have a lot of belief in each other, and we hang out and enjoy being around each other.
Q. Speaking of incentives, Stefon Diggs hit an incentive for going over 1,000 receiving yards this season. I asked him about it, but I'm curious, for a guy who's coming back from an ACL injury to now have the season he's had, just what has his impact on this team meant to you personally and just what has he shown throughout this season to be able to reach this accomplishment?
DM: Yeah, first off, credit to Stef for his ability to bounce back and heal up from an injury like that in such a short period of time. Really since I time I met him, first time I met him, the receivers got together in the off-season, and invited him thinking, we'll see, who knows. Stef is big time, if he'll show up, and he showed up and was running routes back home in North Carolina, and kind of from that point on, I felt like, man, looking forward to getting with him on the field and seeing him do his thing, and he's done his thing time and time again. Some games he's not getting the ball as much as any receiver would want to, and he's still trying to block hard and keeps the energy up and breaking the team down and motivating me. I think he's meant the world to me, and I appreciate every time I go out there with him and a player like him. I just don't take that for granted. Looking forward to seeing him in playoff football.
ADDITIONAL PATRIOTS PLAYERS
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB
(On excitement for what's ahead)
"I'm very excited. Like you said, I've been here a few years, never really got to host a playoff game here at Gillette, so I'm excited for that. I'm just proud of this team. I'm proud of how we fight, proud of how relentless we are. I'm proud of how my teammates have my back, my coaches that have my back, and I'm excited for the postseason."
(On mental attitude since returning from injury)
"To be honest with you, I try to stay pretty level, no matter what's going on, how good it could get, how bad it could get, I try to stay pretty level. Really, I was just day-by-day back then when it wasn't really going my way, just putting my best foot forward, not really trying to get discouraged. My teammates and coaches made it a little easier on me; they had my back and things like that, so I would say I just try to stay relentless. I try to keep the same headspace no matter if it's going good or going bad."
(On Coach [Mike] Vrabel's team-first mentality)
"I think Vrabel just instills that we're a team. Team first and Drake [Maye] is going to spread the ball around. So, maybe you don't get as many touches one week, and next week, it might be your week. You never know. You just have to, like they said, just stay patient, wait for your time, just come to work. Work hard every day, try to learn, and when you get your opportunity, you've got to flourish."
(On having his mom in the stands)
"She comes out pretty often. She was just here last week, I believe. Just having my mom in the stands means a lot. I wish my dad was up there, too, with her still, but just to have her up there means a lot to me. It makes me want to play hard just knowing she's out there watching me."
(On appreciation and motivation for the postseason)
"You don't always get these opportunities. These opportunities don't come by all the time, so when we get them, we've got to make them count. We have to go in there next week, best foot forward and just play our game. Play as relentless as we can because you know if we lose, we go home now. So, this is when the real football starts."
TreVeyon Henderson, RB
(On how the regular season felt)
"It feels great. We thank God, wouldn't be here without Him. Been given such a great opportunity, we put in a lot of work, so it's grateful to be able to have the season that we've been having. Now it's time to go, time to put everything on the line."
(On his expectations before he joined the team)
"Coaches kept talking about finding a role, earning a role on this team. So, my mindset was just wanting to come in and give it everything I got to honor the Lord and try my best to earn a role on this team. The beginning of the season was kind of slow for me, but I just stayed focused, kept pushing, kept working as hard as I can and eventually, I'd open up a door to be able to get a lot more opportunities. I've just been trying my best to take advantage of it. The biggest thing was we just wanted to put in the work and let the results be the results and the results are there. We put in so much work, we have to continue to do so."
(On what he's learned from Rhamondre)
"I've learned so much, just learning how to be a professional. I feel like they've been through so much, Rhamondre has been through so much in this program. Just seeing his work ethic, seeing how he comes to practice each and every day to get better. That's something I've learned as well. He's been such a great leader for this running back room, I'm just so grateful to have him on my side, he's been like a brother to me. He's been teaching me the ropes"
(On when he felt that they were a good football team)
"I think as we kept going on road games, as we kept winning road games. That's not an easy thing to do, travelling on the road and going to play a team in their environment. It's tough, it's hard. We went down to Miami where it was hot, then went to Buffalo in a tough environment, so once we got those under our belt, I think that started to help us build a little bit more confidence. We have a pretty good team here and we can go a long way."
Stefon Diggs, WR
(On how it feels to reach 1,000 yards receiving for the season)
"Rejoice. Relief. People don't know how much work it took to get here, so I'm just really thankful for my teammates and my coaches. They were probably more happier than I was. I put a lot of work to get to that point and I told you all fingers crossed. People just don't know coming off an ACL, getting your confidence back, being around the right people and they're pushing you each and every day. I'm just so thankful God is good, God is amazing actually. I'm going to enjoy this."
(On the celebration with teammates after the game)
"It was lit. Not even just mine, Hunter Henry had a little stuff out there to grab. KC [K'Lavon Chaisson], guys that you see work all season and guys go get the things that they want and that they work extremely hard for. It's weird because it's such an unselfish team that you're more happier than the guy that got whatever he worked hard for and coming in here and getting it done. We had a little lull a little bit, but we got back focused and showed that we are the team that we were supposed to be."
(On his playoff experience and emotions going into the Playoffs)
"I feel like our coaches did a great job over these past couple of weeks and these last couple of weeks letting us know that this is what it's going to be like – playoff atmosphere and playing against good teams. You have to be on your job, you may have to go through some adversity and fight your way through some things. Going into the [playoffs], I figure the mindset isn't going to be any different and is just going to be another layer added to the attention to detail."
(On his expectations when he signed with the Patriots)
"I just knew that they had a good young quarterback. You can't say he had a promising future but it sure looked like it. We played them last year when I was in Houston and I was like, "That kid got some stuff in there," You never know when they're super young. Going into the season, I knew that [Mike Vrabel] was an amazing coach and [Josh] McDaniels knew how to draw it up. I knew it was a good quarterback and I was surprised when I got around the receivers how gifted they were. I realized when I said there was seven dogs and one bone, there was probably more dogs than that. I'm just blessed to be where I'm at and I'm excited for us. I know that we're up for whatever challenges are in front of us. I'm going to keep saying that, I like us."
Hunter Henry, TE
(On how good of a day it was for the team)
"It is huge. We did not want to skip anything, get too far ahead of ourselves, and I feel like the guys did that. We responded. That second quarter probably was not our best today, but we came out in the second half ready to go. Just excited for what is ahead."
(On facing his old team next week for the first time since the 33 point loss last year)
"We are a very, very different team from a year ago. We are a very close team and come together. Have obviously had a great year but now it kind of starts over. We kind of got to start a new season. We are going to attack it that way and be ready to go this week because they will be ready to go. They have a lot of good players over there, obviously I know a few of them and they will be a big challenge."
(On how the closeness of the team has helped succeed)
"Oh, it is huge. It can be very uncommon in this league I think in a way. This is my 10th year in this league, what a blessing that is, and I have played on 10 different teams. Every year is a new year and this was a special group of guys. The book came together and it started in the offseason, throughout training camp, and then obviously throughout the season. When you have a care level and just a little extra, you play a little bit more for the guy next to you. Obviously on offense you play for the guy next to you, but you play for those guys on the defensive side of the ball, special teams so it is pretty special. "
(On how his appreciation for playoff football has changed throughout his career)
"It is a blessing to be in the playoffs again. Honestly, we have had some hard times here. It is hard to get in, it really is. This is a tough league, there is a lot of parity. You have to be ready to go every single week, week in and week out throughout 17 games. We were able to execute at a high level 14 times and be able to come out with 14 wins, which is huge. Pretty special to do that. But now everybody is 0-0, it is a new season. Playoff football is special and it really is. I am excited to have the opportunity to play here in Gillette Stadium next weekend again in front of these fans. I know everybody in that locker room is pretty fired up for it."
(On how the message changes for a playoff game compared to the regular season)
"Obviously this is, you win or you go home now. You cannot relax, you have to really be on the details, be on everything. But I do not think we will waver from who we are. We want to be who we are, our identity, and play to that. I played to that a lot throughout this year, we really need that come next weekend."
Will Campbell, T
(On being back on the field)
"Man, I'm just super thankful. Whenever I went down, of course, immediately I think the worst, so just to have the opportunity to come back and play again out there, being on the field with the guys, it's what I work for year-round. So, for it to be able to happen, it's just really special. I was really excited to be out there."
(On how his knee feels)
"I feel good, so it's a blessing. I just can't thank the guys in the training room enough that helped me out. They pushed me. Just trying to get me in the best position possible and I appreciate it."
(On being in the playoffs as a rookie)
"It's everything you could ask for. I'm just super thankful. I'm really just thankful for the guys on this team. Everybody shows up every day, ready to work. There's not another group I would rather do it with than these guys."
(On his relationship with Mike Vrabel)
"Yeah, I mean, the first time I met him, we definitely hit it off. We're very similar. But, I just feel like it is very rare to have a coach like him that can connect with so many different personalities on the team. I don't ever want to have to play for anybody else. I feel like that's the best way to sum it up. This is the most fun I've had playing football since high school. All you hear about whenever you're going into the league as a rookie is, "It's not like college, enjoy college." You don't have that close bond team, your coaches." I feel like that's complete BS because this team has done nothing but prove that wrong. I feel like we've got a lot of great guys, some great coaches, and I'm just super thankful to be a part of this group."
(On what he has heard about playoff football)
"I feel like, even though I hadn't played in it, you understand what's on the line. You understand that it is win or go home. You're going to get everybody's best shot. Everybody's best pass rush, play after play. Everybody's best call on defense. So, we'll have to have a good week of preparation for whoever we're playing, but we understand what's at stake."
K'Lavon Chaisson, LB
(On how important it was to finish strong tonight)
"Huge. We've been talking about this as a defense. We just want to polish up a couple things, especially going into the postseason. We knew embracement, emphasizing a lot. The naps that we kind of took throughout the season, we can't afford those during the postseason. Those are the teams that know how to capitalize in those moments. So, I think we played well on all sides of the ball today. Obviously, still things we want to clean up, but it was a good showing, for sure."
(On Quinn Ewers' performance)
"He played to the best of his ability. Obviously, a lot of key players didn't play today, so I think it was the best they could do. Obviously, things started getting out of hand once the second half started rolling, too. I think it was pretty well done from his end."
(On how proud he is of the team for 14 wins)
"Huge. This was my first time winning 14 games in an NFL season. I don't take that lightly at all. Regardless of what outsiders may say about the schedule, everybody's a professional. Obviously, we all are one of the 1% to be able to. God-given talent to make this league. So, it's truly a blessing. It shows how hard we've been working, how committed we are to the process and the identity of this team, and I think we're going to continue to improve on that."
(On how the team plans to approach next week)
"In all belief, I feel like we've been treating every game like a do or die situation, and that's just honestly one of those. Continue to get better, continue to eliminate all the mistakes as much as possible. Things are going to happen, but just continue to do as best you can and know that we cannot – we can't slip up. We're going into the postseason and playing the best teams that are left in the league, and know how to take advantage of those missed opportunities from other teams."
Milton Williams, DT
(On looking back on the season, his injury and what it means to make the playoffs)
"Blessed to be in this position and for my injury not to be as bad as everybody initially thought. Shout out to our training staff, our strength staff, and our coaching staff for keeping me in the loop, keeping me ready and keeping me doing what I need to do to make sure I get back into form to help this team win games."
(On his playoff experience and emotions going into the playoffs)
"We don't need no super heroes or anybody to go out there and try to do stuff that we haven't been doing all year. Just be consistent, harping on fundamentals, keep doing what we we've been doing all year and winning games."
(On the team's performance and confidence this season)
"Coach Vrabel is always on us every week. We try to win every week that we go out there. The biggest game for us, was I think in the beginning of this season when we played in Buffalo. They were on a streak and hadn't been beaten at home. We went in there and took care of business. From that moment forward, we saw what we were capable of. My message to the guys was just to put on display every week after that and I feel like we've been doing that."
Christian Gonzalez, CB
(On his mindset heading into his first playoff game)
"I am excited, very excited, to be able to play in January. As a kid, it's a dream come true, really, just being able to play in the playoffs. We came in and Vrabes [Coach Mike Vrabel] came in and said, 'Win the division and host home playoff games,' so we were able to do that. So, like I said, it is a new season now, so we may not even enjoy this one tonight, get right on to it and be ready for next week."
(On the defense's strong second half)
"I feel like I kind of said that at the beginning of the week. It is a division opponent. Regardless of record or anything like that, it's NFL football. Everybody is going to come out here and compete to play their best. Nobody is going to just go out there and not try, not do anything. But wee were just able to rally as a team, make corrections at halftime and come out as a defense and execute."
(On the difference between being a top cornerback on a struggling team last season compared to being a top cornerback on a team like this)
"Honestly, I just go out there and just try to play my game. Go out there and have fun, whatever comes out for personal goals, aspirations, and awards, we are not really focused on that. This team is so tight-knit that everybody is – all we want to do is go out there and play for each other, win and keep competing. It's just been a lot of fun to get 14 wins, but we are ready for the playoffs and glad it's a home game."
(On the Patriots being a tight-knit group)
"I feel like just from the jump, Vrabel came in and talked about, preached about building a brotherhood, a really strong team. That started in OTAs, and it carried all the way through the season. We were able to sit down and talk about each other's whys and things like that. So, when you learn why the guy next to you is going out there and playing as hard as he can, it makes you want to play just as hard. Everybody goes through things; everybody has been through hardships in life. They sat there and listened to you, and you got to hear about their story. It just brought us together, and now it helps us on Sundays."
Jaylinn Hawkins, S
(On his reaction to the season as a whole)
"I'm just happy the way we handled business this season, the way we came together, the way we grew together. Obviously, that's a big accomplishment, now we're onto the post season, so all this stuff, we have to flush it within the next 10-12 hours. It's onto the next, but grateful for it."
(On his interception)
"We had covers on the guy, he ran a corner route, the receiver to my side. I got onto him, I was kind of reading the quarterback and my guy at the same time and he threw the over route from the other side. As soon as he threw it, I fell off my guy and the ball happened to be there, I just caught it and made a play."
(On playing the Chargers after losing 40-7 in the last matchup)
"I remember that day last year, it was tough. We got whooped, it's tough. Obviously, we're a whole new team, whole new cast of characters, new coach and it's the playoffs, so we're just going in focusing on this. Knowing what we need to do and execute and come out victorious next week. We're playing to win."
(On the difference between winning the last game last year versus this year)
"I reflect a lot, obviously you forget the loss. I didn't necessarily forget that loss I felt last year because I remember those things. I take that with me and I use it as fuel. Last year I remember after this last game and we didn't have the opportunity to go into the post season. This year, it's a complete change, so we're blessed to have the opportunity. Now it's about what you do with it, God put it on our plate and now we just have to go."
