HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL

Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, August 16, 2025

Saturday, August 16, 2025
Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel
Q: So, we saw Jared Wilson in at left guard with the second team and also take some snaps at center. What have you seen from him lately that led to his usage today?

A: Just trying to get everybody the spots that they may end up in and still have the competition at that left guard and making sure that he's where he needs to be. I give him credit – wasn't able to practice on Thursday, worked hard to get back, worked him out before the game. We all decided he'd be able to play, and he played, and probably had some good snaps and probably was going to have some snaps that we'll need to improve on. So that's the plan is just trying to get him all the work he may need and continue to compete.

Q: Is there a point in the preseason in which you'd like to have the line…

A: Well, I think just when it's clear, you know, when it's clear. There's not a timeline, but I think that when it becomes clear, and it didn't before, and I don't think it has yet now. So, we'll still keep working, trying to get the best group in there, and get guys that are versatile and can help us behind them, because very rarely are you going to play the same five throughout a 17-game season and hopefully whatever comes after that is just trying to get a good, solid group of offensive lineman, establish the first unit, but then also have some really good pieces behind them.

Q: How gratifying is it in terms of the culture you're trying to build seeing Efton Chism III, an undrafted free agent, making plays and getting in the end zone.

A: Doesn't matter how you get here. The only thing that matters is what you do when you're here. And I think that's another great example of that. And Chis [Efton Chism III], when given opportunities, has taken advantage of them. We talked about his play strength last week and I would say that continue to be true this week.

Q: How much does that come into your principles in training camp and earning a role?

A: I think that's exactly what we talked about. This has to be a work day. This has to be an identity day, but this also has to be an earn-a-role day, and making sure we showed up with that mentality,

Q: A couple of veterans, defensive veterans, making plays in the second half. We haven't talked a lot about Anfernee [Jennings], what have you seen from him?

A: I've seen a competitiveness, and Anfernee [Jennings] has been around, and we've had really good conversations, and you try to draft some guys and there are some young guys in here and that's a fine balance. To his credit, he's done nothing but compete in practice, earn reps, earn opportunities in the game, and take advantage of every one that he's gotten and to factor today, and even last week,

Q: It was a little surprising to see them both playing so late in the game.

A: Well, we only have so many guys. There are guys that didn't travel, there's guys that didn't play. We have to have 11 out there every play. And so, this is the third week of our first training camp together as a coaching staff and as a team. That's what I wanted everybody to realize. It's in the third week of our first year. We have to get this right, and everybody just be prepared to play and for however long that you're in there, or whenever you're asked to help on special teams, somebody's got to protect the punter. Somebody's got to go on the field goal unit. Somebody has to be on the kickoff return. Our obligation is we have to protect the guys that have the ball. We have to be able to play and get stops just like we did. That builds confidence and trust throughout everybody on the team.

Q: One of your opponents didn't play their starters in the game, but going off what you just said, does that sort of describe your preseason philosophy in terms of like building…

A: Well, it described our philosophy today. We just want to go out and work through a program warmup and work through openers and making adjustments and things to coach on. If you don't do anything today, it's Friday, Saturday, Sunday, now your work again on Monday. Today had to be a workday. For some it wasn't that much and for others it was more, and what other teams do can't affect us and we will try to play the situation and score when we are in the red zone. I think it's a great reminder of – we talked about Chism and [Efton Chism III] and Jordan Polk – like saving a touchdown and defending every blade of grass and we forced them to kick a field goal and that is the difference sometimes in these games, is an extra-effort play that allows the defense to defend every inch and blade of grass and offense to fight for every inch.

Q: Mike, how pleased are you with your defense?

A: We're two for two last week in the red zone and so that improved today and not letting them run it in was critical, and then also getting a stop there at the end and also being able to play it situationally. We will be able to coach on the offense on the five-minute drive and have a better plan. But, I think we were close today and certainly had some two-minute situations, and offensively we had a bunch of first and second down work.

Q: What did you see on TreVeyon's [Henderson] touchdown?

A: That he runs hard, protects the ball. Guys were finishing and gave him a little bit of crease, and you don't need much and he finds it. It was a big, good run early in the game.

Q: What's the general message to the roster, the guys in the locker room, as you're going into the final week of training camp?

A: Well, I'll save that for the guys in the locker room. Before I tell them, I certainly don't feel like I can tell you, but it is really going to stay consistent. That we have to work, continue to improve. We don't have a ton of time left and there are things we have to continue to get better at and preparing to win. We have to really start preparing to win.

Q: How do you feel like Drake [Maye] performed, especially after that first drive?

A: Yeah, I think that he settled down, and it was good to see. A lot of positives after that. That's why I decided to go back out with that unit. So, I felt like there was a rhythm and flow and execution.

Q: Any updates on [injured player]?

A: I'll be able to give you a little bit more tomorrow when I'm able to talk to medical staff and try to update you guys tomorrow with everything I can as it relates.

Q: How good was this week for you guys?

A: Appreciate the Vikings and what they were able to do, their organization. The ease and comfort in which we were able to work here, the facility, the energy of practice. It's a good football team. It is a talented roster. They do a lot defensively. We thank them and appreciate all they were able to do for us.

QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE

Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, August 16, 2025

Q: How good was it to get back out there?

A: Yeah, it's always good to get out there with the guys. Real game like in the huddle, out of the huddle, shoot we got a delay of game so that stuff's good to be mad at myself more and reminders of watch the clock, get out of the huddle, get the guys back in the huddle. So it's always good to get real game reps where they could hit me, real situations.

Q: Why did the delay game happen? Did something happen there? that just,

A: Yeah, I just got to get out of huddle faster. It starts with me. I think it starts with me getting those guys back in the huddle. It's different in practice, just kind of, kind of getting back to the huddle when they start to play clock right after the last plays down. So just a good reminder. I was watching it and for some reason, the second down weird play at that time where I think my eyes weren't on it. I think it falls on me, it's good to have to bounce back from that because there may be a false start, or holding, get back on track, kind of deal that, but good to feel that but disappointed in myself for letting that happen out here.

Q: What do you see in your teammate Efton Chism when he's out there breaking tackles – at one point he broke four tackles – what do you see in this kid?

A: Yeah, he just keeps on showing up. That's the theme for him throughout camp, throughout joint practices, throughout preseason games. He got the end zone again tonight, and it just keeps on showing up. Like I said, he's blocking the run game, he knows what to do. He's staying late with veterans, and asking me, "Hey, what do you see on this route?" He wants it and I think that's the biggest thing he's shown and it's paying off for him.

Q: What are your thoughts on TreVeyon [Henderson]?

A: Yeah, I think he's just dynamic, I mean shoot. It's cool knowing he's out there on kickoff for us, kickoff return. So I think from there, just try to find ways to get him open in space. And I think he's better than teams give him credit for running between the tackles as you saw today. So just kind of find ways to give him the a football. And I think on the third down, I could have gave it to him earlier, gave him a better ball.

Q: Talked a lot about working with your line in joint practices. On that scramble you connected with Mack Hollins, how much of that comes with working with your line?

A: Yeah, that's just game situations. It's hard to emulate that in practice because the defensive ends always think they got a sack, you know? So it's good to get out here where they actually have to bring me down. And it's good for us to work the scramble drill because we call something and we're expecting this coverage and they go to something else so it's good for those guys to feel that and the receivers to work on work on scramble drill and stuff like that. It's hard to mimic that in practice. It's great to get it out here in a preseason game.

Q: Indiscernible questions

A: Kind of one of the things where he's in the right spot. He knows coverages, he's a veteran in this league, been in a lot of different systems. He's played this system before, kind of knows the ins and outs and knows what to expect. And I think he wants it. He wants the ball. He loves to go up and get it. I threw him the high first one, and he made a play on it. I was a little amped early in the game so it's good to have a big 6-3 receiver out there that DBs are scared to hit across the middle. It's nice having that.

Q: How would you describe your communication with Josh McDaniels on the headset?

A: It's great. I think before the 15 seconds goes out, even just the constant reminders or a little reminder here or there. It goes a long way for us, because we're dealing with a lot of stuff out there, and even a reminder in the huddle that, hey, to a receiver, hey, get your depth, or to an offensive line, hey, be ready for this or something like, that goes a long way. He's great at giving little tidbits, and from there, it's just kind of working our communication and what I like hearing and what he likes kind of giving me before the snap.

Q: You mentioned you felt a little bit amped up at the start of the game. It's a preseason game. You know, people at home might hear that and say, Why is he so excited? But is it hard for you to kind of dial it down?

A: Yeah, I don't think we want to dial it down. We're out there, we're to keeping score. We're trying to win. I miss (indiscernible) high, same thing, he's wide open sitting in a zone out there. So just couple plays to have back, but the guys up front blocked well. It's preseason, but these guys are still trying to come tackle us and stop us, so we're trying to go down to score.

Q: Did you get a chance to catch up with Sam Howell?

A: Sam, yeah. Sam, yeah, one of my best friends. Was pretty cool with us starting against each other in a preseason game and really our first time playing against each other.

Q: Thoughts on the joint practices and being out here going against the Vikings?

A: It's awesome. With the Vikings, what they did last year, the regular season they had and kind of the talent they have back, it's great for us to go against them for two days of practice and come out here and finish off with a preseason game. It's a nice facility out here and I thought it was good work, good for us to see different stuff, see different defenses, see different talent. Coach Flores does some good stuff on defense so it's good for us to see the stuff he does and kind of learn from it and carry it into the regular season.