HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, October 26, 2025

Q: (Inaudible).

MV: Taking advantage of our opportunities, turning drives into touchdowns, hitting some X plays and not settling for field goals like we did in the first half. Sometimes it's going to be like that. A lot of times in this league it's going to be like that. We've had other games. You could ask me about starting fast. Again, we'll try to continue to work on it. I'm mostly proud of the totality of the team. I know there's so much more to improve, but we got stops in the second half, and we scored touchdowns. That's what the difference in the game was, but it was also the way we finished the first half by getting a stop and going down there and making a huge gain. We didn't convert, but we were able to move the ball down there into field goal range, and Andy and that operation was able to take advantage of it and go into halftime with the lead.

Q: Kind of extending that, just the complementary football, Spillane the interception, touchdown Hawkins, the interception, touchdown, how pleased were you when you saw those kinds of things unfold? And you brought your team to the sideline for the ensuing kickoff. What was the reason for having everyone stand up on the sidelines for that?

MV: I wish you guys would have noticed that a couple weeks ago. We started doing that a couple weeks ago when we started going on the road. Glad you guys just now noticed, but that hasn't changed in three weeks. That was the focus we had on the road, trying to get up and support the other groups, the ones that were trying to create field position for us on the kickoff return or the kickoff. So, taking advantage of the turnovers is huge. Certainly one on third down there with Spillane and then the long one there that Hawk had. We've got to take care of the ball better and continue to find opportunities. They hadn't turned it over, and then when their gimmick plays ran out, I thought we played pretty good defense.

Q: Looks like the team was pretty fired up for Stefon Diggs after he scored his first touchdown of the season. Just how would you characterize the impact he's had in the locker room so far?

MV: Really enjoyed being around him every day, his energy, communication, his willingness to learn and play and figure out what it is that we need from him each and every week. There's been an energy. He's practiced when we needed him to practice, and we're going to have to start taking care of some these veteran guys, whether that's him or Morgan or Hunter and a lot of these other guys as we move on towards the season, but highly competitive. He's vocal. He cares. He's a great teammate. He's been really good for that position and some of the younger guys' development. So, I'm happy to be able to get him in the end zone. It was long overdue.

Q: Drake was sacked six times today but still finishes with 280 and three touchdowns. How impressed were you with his resolve as this game went on?

MV: Everybody's resolve. Again, we'd like to have the sacks, but again, we've got to get the ball out on time and understand who it is that we're dealing with. I don't think that as long as we're keeping them clean and not some vicious hits, we have to be able to be better in that regard. I think, when we give them time to throw, it's pretty good. It's good to see us hit a couple X plays, but we knew that was going to be a challenge with this front. Then the way that they played and certainly with Myles Garrett, committing two people to him and him still affecting the quarterback is obviously impressive.

Q: We're going on six weeks now where you guys are among the best defense in the league the last three quarters. What besides the tackling, which we talked about, do you see as driving that?

MV: I think we settle in. I think we get some stops. I don't think we've given up a ton of X plays in that regard after the first drive, whether there was a missed tackle or they got us overaggressive and slipped the guy out of the backfield. But I think they play and they compete for 60 minutes. This isn't a one or two possession game. It's 10 or 12 possessions at least in a football game. We've got to continue to work on the things and enhance the things that we've done well and improve on the things that haven't been so well, which is the early game, the opening script, getting off the field on third down, which we had them in third and long and weren't able to. But creating third and long opportunities and then continue to get stops.

Q: Obviously not word for word, but what did you say to your team at the half? You guys struggled a lot in the first half obviously to move the ball, but then of course to get points, then three straight touchdowns to start the second half.

MV: We were winning the game. So I just told them keep playing. I don't know how many yards we had. Those are stats. I look at the scoreboard, and we were winning.

Q: Just curious, your thoughts on Myles Garrett today. I imagine you guys had him emphasized during the week. How hard is this guy to block, I guess?

MV: Just size, speed, athleticism, and having watched him last year, it's impressive, and it's hard. We're trying to chip him, and he Gumbys around one guy and then speed bursts the other guy. He's just an elite athlete with a tremendous skill set. I'm glad that we don't play him twice every year unless we're both in the playoffs. He's just a dynamic player, and they do a nice job with him. He certainly impacts a lot of football games.

Q: What went into the individual player introductions? I know earlier you mentioned players standing up during special teams. What was your thought process into having the players introduced individually before the game?

MV: Just feel like these guys put a lot into it and would like to recognize him individually. Hopefully our fans can embrace that and get excited for them. It's something that I felt like we wanted to do, create some energy early and get them to recognize the players' efforts, and allow these fans to support us, which they did. It was getting loud on third down. We've got to continue to play hard for them so that they cheer for us.

Q: Just curious, Christian Barmore, we didn't really see him in the first quarter. Was there anything that led to him being sidelined? And then to see him come back in the game after?

MV: I had to make a decision. My job is to protect the team, so when there's actions that I don't feel like are commiserate with what we want to do here, I've got to make a decision, and we move on.

Q: Run game was effective again for the second straight week. What did you see happening there against a tough Browns defense?

MV: Tough sledding. I think we stayed committed and mixed some interior runs. We hit some outside plays, some perimeter runs. Then obviously the quarterback stuff helps, those numbers. When they pressure and they play man coverage and Drake can do that, that has to be part of who we are. We've got to send him to Spring Training and figure out when to slide and continue to talk about that. I'll do my best there.

QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, October 26, 2025

Q: Other than Myles Garrett, how was your day, and how was the offense? What did you like about what you guys did?

DM: I think we left some out in the red zone. I think we moved the ball well. Defense helped us out. They played a great game. I think, when they did force turnovers, we scored off them, which was good to see. I think we left some out there in the red zone. We ran the ball, we threw it some. We had the one turnover with me and the one with TreVeyon at the end. So we have to learn from that. They're a good defense. They're good up front. They get after the passer. I've got to do a better job of getting the ball out and knowing kind of what mode I'm in to get it out.

Q: Did it feel like Josh was kind of, the way he called plays at the beginning of the second half, kind of some cleverness, some creativity that kind of opened things up for you guys? Was that something that was a little bit of a conversation in the locker room at halftime?

DM: He was -- his demeanor at halftime, he could tell that he was calming us down. He knew that we were good. Just classic Coach McDaniels drive. He's just dialing it up multiple times and getting guys open and really making it easy for me. He's done it his whole life, and I feel like he was put on this earth to be an offensive coordinator. It was fun to be in the headset with him.

Q: After your long run, the crowd started chanting MVP, MVP. Next play, you throw the 39-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon, more of the same. Did you hear it? What's your reaction to it?

DM: No, I didn't hear it. The guys were making fun of me about my slide back in the huddle on the long run, so I didn't hear it. But the fans have been awesome all season. It's been really cool really to see the difference from last year to this year. Man, it's been a journey. They've been through it, and the fans have been through it the last couple years. So it's just credit to them. We did the intros today for the first time, so we didn't know how that would go. That was pretty cool. I know the fans have been awesome. Like I said, I think they're the best fans in the league, and they continue to show out every week.

Q: I'm curious, with the two touchdowns today, one to Hunter and one to Stefon Diggs. First with the Hunter one, getting him the ball on National Tight Ends Day, what did that mean? Then with the second one to Stefon Diggs, finally getting him the ball in the end zone as a Patriot, just on those two.

DM: They mentioned something to me this week, Hunter and Hoop did, about National Tight End Day. Glad Hoop had a couple of big catches, and Hunt had one at the end. I missed him a couple times. I've been missing him a lot throughout the year. It was good to see him get in there. Stef, we've been joking about him the other day that KC, K'Lavon Chaisson had more touchdowns than Stef did. So finally Stef got in there and got one. So that was cool.

Q: Can you walk us through your touchdown to Kayshon Boutte and whether there was any advantage you guys gained by going formation to boundary on that play?

DM: Yeah, really we were just trying to -- we worked into the boundary, and Kayshon liked it on that side. We worked on that side during the week. So we just kept it to that side. He made a great, great move on them and just trying to give him a chance. Thought I overthrew it again, but he made a nice adjustment to it and a great catch.

Q: Drake, obviously the No. 1 ranked defense in the league. What did you learn about kind of yourself and how you had to adapt through the course of this game and make plays, end up with a stat line that you would like despite some adversity in the game?

DM: Yeah, just bouncing back. I threw an early interception. We talked about it all week, kind of what they strived on their defense, putting their offense in good positions. I was looking downfield and forgot the guy in front of me could jump. So he picked it. Nice play by him. But just bouncing back from adversity. This is that league. One of the best players on the edge, maybe one of the best players in the league on the edge. So just battling back and continuing to run it in play action and boot and just trying to keep the defense off its -- trying to be unpredictable on offense. I think Coach called a great game. Good to handle adversity and come out of halftime, and to score three touchdowns in the third quarter was big.

Q: You had mentioned about the pregame introductions. Coach Vrabel mentioned a chance to create more energy in the stadium and sort of get the fans maybe engaged in that moment. I'm curious, did you feel that? Like a difference with those introductions? What was your thought being the last guy out there?

DM: Yeah, I was a little bit nervous for it. You always see other teams do it. I got literally no swag, so I just go out there and run. I think the guys enjoyed it. I think it was cool kind of hanging back there in the back being the last one. I think the first like ten guys, they had the wrong name and ran out too fast. I think we'll work on it. I think the fans, maybe it was new for them too, so they'll have to adjust. Maybe next time they'll be ready for it. I think it was loud. They're loud every time we do the call outs. So that's it.

ADDITIONAL PATRIOTS PLAYERS

Robert Spillane, LB

(On his interception)

"It was a third down, we were blitzing, I was covering the back. They picked up in protection, so that kind of lets me roam and be a free read the quarterback player. I'm looking for anything from the field, coming back shallow. Nothing came back shallow, so I was able to make a play on the ball. Our rush did a great job getting home, giving me the opportunity to make a play."

(On what he's proud of with the defense)

"How we come to prepare every day. I'm really proud of how our guys work. We got a room full of blue-collar guys that come into work to get better each and every day, whether it's win, lose, or draw. We're going to continue to get better each week we get out here."

(On responding to Browns run game)

"With a young quarterback, great running back, we knew they were going to try to get some run game early and often. I'm just so proud of how our defense plays. Our defensive line, in particular, [Cory] Durden, [Christian] Barmore, Milton [Williams], [Khyiris] Tonga. These guys are eating double teams, ripping off blocks, and making tackles. When they do that, it really puts a lot of ease on my job as a second level player. I'm just really proud of how they continue to grind out the run game and get the run stops."

(On the defensive identity)

"We have a room full of guys that view themselves as impact players, view themselves as game changing players, and that's where it starts. If you don't believe that you're going to be a game changing player, you never will be. We have a room full of guys that want to go out there and make plays, want to help this team win. We're just going to continue to come together, mesh together, and try to be the best defense we can be."

Kayshon Boutte, WR

(On Stefon Diggs' first touchdown and his role in WR room)

"I think I was happier than him. If you look back at the film, I ran from the right side to the left. Two plays before, we were at the goal line, and he was one yard away. I think it happened like that at Buffalo too, just a couple yards away. Great player, great guy. I love him, I think it was good for everybody. Now that he's got that feeling in the endzone, he's just getting started."

(On his chemistry with Drake Maye)

"The team is only going to be as good as the receivers and the quarterback are. We're not going to sit here and run the ball 50 times a game, you have to balance the offense up. I think what's important is just being there when they need me."

(On the stadium after his touchdown)

"We've been on the road the past month, so I think it feels good to be back at home. Scoring a touchdown, throwing the ball, then the MVP chants. I was joking with [Maye] last week about MVP too, he doesn't like to hear it, but I think it's the truth. We got to keep it going, we're halfway through the season and we're just, honestly, getting started."

(On why he thinks Maye is the MVP)

"You all see what I see. I think if you look around the league at the other guys too, they're doing great stuff too. I think Drake's doing everything they're doing, there's not anything that he's not doing. At the end of the day, we're just playing football, we're having fun with it too, just supporting my guys."

Anfernee Jennings, LB

(On what it took for them to get locked in to play)

"We knew we had to come out there and beat their script. We knew they had a good opening script and wanted to get out there and beat it. The second drive we got things settled down and started playing our brand of defense."

(On winning the turnover battle)

"It means a lot. If we win the turnover battle, we have a pretty good chance at winning the game."

(On being successful at stopping the run)

"That's our identity. We pride ourselves on stopping the run. Being able to get to the quarterback, when it's time to do that. If we keep doing that we got a good chance of winning."

(On the importance of playing well against Myles Garrett)

"It is very important. We knew special teams had to do a good job. Creating good field positioning and trying to give our offense a good start when they are trying to get the ball and do a good job playing defense. We knew they had a good defense and we wanted to prove we had a good defense too."

Christian Gonzalez, CB

(On his impact today)

"That's what I want to do and what any corner wants to do. You want to take away who they want to go to and today it was [Jerry] Jeudy, so that was my assignment. Just going out there and executing, playing team defense. Shout out to the front seven, they're getting back there and making it hard for the quarterback to throw the ball. It all works together, it's not just one person covering one person. It's all of us coming together and making plays."

(On how rewarding it is to see the team come together this season)

"It's amazing, winning is amazing. We want to go out there and win, it's awesome to come out and give the fans something to be excited about. Come out here and get the whole stadium rocking. It's amazing to go out there and win."

Hunter Henry, TE

(On what it has been like seeing the confidence of the offense grow)

"It is really cool. I have been here for a while now. Just to see the growth starting in the receivers room has been really cool with [Kayshon] Boutte and Pop (DeMario Douglas) and guys that have been here. It has been really special to be a part of. . . Stef (Stefon Diggs) and Mack [Hollins] are in their element, and their veteran presence has been special. Seeing the growth of Drake [Maye] has been awesome. He is going out and playing at a high level right now, but seeing the growth from last year has been a lot of fun to go out there and play with him."

(On being on the team since 2021 and finally being in a winning locker room)

"I was just talking to my wife this week. It's a lot of gratitude. I feel like God has put me here for a reason. I am thankful to be where my feet are. God has always had a plan no matter what it was, and I just have to trust that. It is really cool to be a part of this. Seeing the locker room week after week right now as a winning locker room, there is nothing better in this league than winning. But also, I look back on the hard times too and think there was a lot of growth to really appreciate these times more. God put those things in my life for a reason."

(On what changed at the half)

"I don't know if there was anything crazy or different that was said. We knew we were close and moving the ball in the first half — just didn't finish in the red zone. If we scored one of those we would have felt different at half. We just knew we needed to finish some drives and do a little bit more and extra. Everybody focused on their job. It felt like guys went out there and competed at a high level for 60 minutes."

Jaylinn Hawkins, S

(On protecting home field, the individual player intros and what the day was like from a fan perspective)

That was cool. The crib was rocking – I call it the crib – but the crib was rocking, fans were amazing, people were amazing. It's loud out there. You can barely hear yourself out there, especially on third down, it's crazy. But I appreciate everybody who comes, shows up and shows their support. It was dope. It's good coming home and getting a victory.

(On the defense's competitiveness)

That's a lot about character and what coach is [setting as the] infrastructure in our program. It starts with the head man and what he's teaching us, our identity. That's the biggest thing. Wherever we are on the field, we've got to protect our identity, especially as a defense. It doesn't matter. You can put the ball down anywhere; we've got to out there and shut it down, try to get a takeaway, try to get a turnover. That's the biggest thing. Protecting our identity is the biggest thing.

(On the way Drake Maye is playing)

He's doing his thing. He's hooping, as I always say. I'm proud of him. I like the way he's playing. It's just the energy, man, as a whole. Offense does something, defense wants to get the ball back for offense. If they see us do something, he wants to go score a touchdown. We want to get the ball back to 10 because we believe in him, so it's just dope having that camaraderie and that unity as a team from both sides. I feel like it's special, man, and we can keep harping on that and keep growing.

Will Campbell, OT

(On blocking Myles Garrett)

"He's a really good player. He beat me a few times and that is just part of the game. He gets paid a lot of money, and he got me a couple times. I just had to keep coming back and keep fighting, which is why we got the win."

(On establishing home field advantage)

"It's just really nice not to have to get on a plane right now and be able to get in the car and go home. It's nice playing at home, playing in front of our fans. Great atmosphere today, so we need it again next week."

(On second half adjustments)

"No, we just had to finish the game. Last week, we didn't come out and finish the game the way we wanted to against Tennessee. That is some of what we talked about during the week is playing 60 minutes of our game. Even when things weren't going our way in the first half, to come in at halftime, talk about it and just come back out. Defense made a bunch of great plays tonight. They've been playing their ass off, making it easy on us, giving us short fields at times. Kudos to them, they're playing really, really well."

(On the team's chemistry)

"Yeah, it's growing every week. I think it's really good. It's only going to continue to get better. We've got a bunch of great guys, a bunch of good players. So, I'm just looking forward to the future.

DeMario Douglas, WR

(On team chemistry development)

"It's good. It's like the brotherhood in here, man. The offense and defense, we're close, and I feel like that's what's showing on the field. We play for each other."

(On second half adjustments)

"We just had to get the hang of it. It's like that sometimes, a little slow start, and then we come out on fire. We just need that one play and then the next thing you know, it's over. We start doing our thing. Once we start playing that complimentary football, that's when we start rising and getting better."

(On his 44-yard catch-and-run play in the second quarter)

"That play, I was seeing that they were in man [coverage], so I already knew it was over with that one. I just moved to the right side, and it was open…"

(On Stefon Diggs' touchdown)

"It was lit, man. I came off that sideline storming and did our celebration. What is this, Week 8? We've been waiting on it. He's been waiting on it since fall camp."

Milton Williams, DT

(On where the defense has grown the most this year)

"I think we have definitely gotten closer. Just getting around each other and getting our communication down. Communication is getting better and better just altogether, and improving every week, and I think that is important. Keep stacking wins."

(On the secret to stopping the run)

"Just get on the ball, get their hands in the right spot. Resetting the line of scrimmage. Coach Vrabel is always preaching, 'create a wall.' Everybody get to the wall. Hopefully we can try to create some more turnovers."

(On tackles for loss and creating turnovers)

"This is something we have been preaching. Always try to create some good plays so we can get opportunities to go rush, protect the cover. We will get pressure, tight covers in the back end, and we will just use it to create turnovers."

TreVeyon Henderson, RB

(On if he was more comfortable out there today)

"I have definitely been getting more comfortable this season as well. Getting more reps, getting more opportunities, different looks, going up against different players."

(On the late fumble)

"Yeah, it is tough. You know, it is a learning lesson for me definitely. It is tough to go out like that, but that is something that we have been harping on all season, just taking care of the ball. So, that is something we have got to continue to work on."

(On if the NFL has been a huge adjustment)
"Each level is always going to be an adjustment you have to make. High school to college, college to NFL. There are always going to be things you've got to adapt to. Game is getting faster, guys are bigger, guys are stronger. So, eventually you get accustomed to it."

(On the chemistry of this team)
"I think [Coach Vrabel] has done a great job bringing us close together as a team, helping us to play for each other, not just for ourselves. So, I have been thankful to have him as a head coach. He has been doing such a good job of pushing me, pushing everyone on this team no matter who we are."