PATRIOTS HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL
PRESS CONFERENCE
January 21, 2026
Q: Can you let us know if you might be activating the window for Mack Hollins?
MV: That won't happen today, no.
Q: Mike, just a thought on your team, 8-0 on the road. What kind of things did you learn about your team as a group that you could take into any road game such as one like this?
MV: We played in a lot of different environments. You've got to take care of the football. You're going to have to try to find a way to win in critical situations at the end of the half, at the end of the game, whether that's five-minute – I just think back to, defensively, getting stops in Miami, we made a critical kick. Tampa Bay, we executed at the end of half. Certain situations – five-minute in New Orleans. So, I think each game kind of has its own story, but you better take care of the football, especially in Denver.
Q: Mike, following that up a little bit, what characteristics do players have to have to take that mentality on the road and be successful on the road?
MV: Well, I mean, I think we try to preach it through the entire offseason and being able to establish an identity that travels. Overcoming mistakes that happen in the game, which there always are. I think that you have to be resilient. There's going to be some swings of momentum. You're going to have to be able to handle the environment offensively and not put yourself in bad situations because your operation isn't very good. So, there's a lot of things that we try to practice, knowing that we're going to have to play half of our games on the road.
Q: Can you give an update on Carlton [Davis III]?
MV: I would anticipate him being out there, probably in a limited capacity, but just working his way through protocol.
Q: Mike, the Broncos allowed a league-low 23 sacks. What makes them so good?
MV: The quarterback gets it out. They do a nice job with moving the pocket, different throws and not just standing back there. Sean [Payton] and his staff have done a great job of finding the balance of when to throw in the pocket and seven-man protection sometimes on third down. And then, again, when they don't, they block them. They do a nice job of blocking them on the edges. And they try to stay firm in the middle.
Q: Did you go back and look at [Jarrett] Stidham's preseason stuff? Or do you just kind of stick with what they do offensively and figure he'll do the same stuff?
MV: Again, he's got the snaps that he has – the 400 or so snaps that are in regular season action. And then they have a lot of snaps on what they want to do. So, we'll have to be prepared for the plan and the things that they've shown. I'm sure there'll be some things that they haven't shown. He's more than capable to go out there and operate. It's why he's a backup, and one that was coveted around the league.
Q: How much did you tap into Josh [McDaniels]'s knowledge of him – and obviously he started a couple games for Josh in Vegas – about, "Hey, this is what he likes. This is what he doesn't like?"
MV: I mean, I think every week we try to use every resource that we have at our disposal. Josh coached him a couple years ago. So, anything that we have that we can use to help us, we'll try.
Q: Mike, you've been big on the "no naps" message this year. How do you make sure your defense doesn't take a nap against a backup quarterback who hasn't played in a while?
MV: I think this is a pretty motivated group. I just think to try to continue to play together with the speed that they have the last couple weeks. I'm confident that they'll remain excited and ready to go.
Q: Mike, you brought in Ashton Grant for this season as your quarterbacks coach. I'm wondering what you've seen from him, how he's helped Drake [Maye] and did you cross paths in Cleveland last year?
MV: Yeah, I worked with Ashton in Cleveland. I got to evaluate him every day and what he did in Cleveland. I think it's a good balance between him and Josh. And Josh was really excited for us to be able to add Ashton. Was in on those interview processes that we had for the quarterbacks coach, and I think Ashton really fit his vision that he had. First year in the system, it's going to be – Josh is going to have a heavy role in that, but also, I'll go in there and Ashton will be meeting with these guys situationally. I think it is a good balance between him and Josh and how long Josh has done it. And maybe the newness and the youngness of Ashton is a nice little balance.
Q: Mike, will Mack Hollins practice today?
MV: No, I would not anticipate. Karen [Guregian], you just have to talk louder so they hear your question. I would not anticipate Mack being out there.
Q: Mike, you're not afraid to jump into drills from time to time with the guys. Is there a part of you as a player who's played in big games like this – is there a part of you that, deep down, misses the physicality of the sport?
MV: Nope. Every day I wake up, I'm glad that I don't have to practice or play.
Q: Mike, going back to Milton Williams – the decision to sign him, identifying him as a potential main piece here in the defense – can you talk about that early thought of going after him? And then, now that he's been here, I'm assuming he's met all expectations, if not more.
MV: Again, free agency is always funny. We knew we needed to supplement the roster and targeted some guys, got some guys, didn't get some guys. We decided to add Milt [Milton Williams]. The person, quality person. I think the play speaks for itself. We have high expectations for everybody, but certainly Milt. It's good to have him back out there. It's helped in a lot of phases, a lot of areas. In the run game, he had some really nice plays last week, affecting the quarterback. We talked about on the interception return, his push kind of started it, knocking the guy back into the tight end. So, we'll need everybody, including Milt. We'll need their best efforts this week. Again, that's kind of where it went last year. You target guys, and some guys you get, some guys you don't.
Q: Mike, when you're dealing with a team of younger players who maybe aren't used to the bright lights of the stage of the AFC Championship, how do you prepare them? Do you rely on some veterans to talk with younger guys?
MV: They are two more games experienced in the playoffs than there were two weeks ago. So, I mean, just try to play well, prepare and enjoy it.
Q: Mike is there anything different that you're doing here this week preparing for the altitude and as it pertains to special teams as well? Anything that changes your game plan heading into Sunday?
MV: Well, I'm sure we'll have to figure out how far Andy [Borregales] can kick with the altitude. And then just being good with where we're going to put the kickoffs. Marcus [Jones] is going to have to adjust where he aligns based on where the ball travels. But I'm confident that everybody's going to be ready to go, and hopefully we can force them to punt and give Marcus some opportunities.
Q: For Drake, in these last two games he's had a few turnovers. How do you go about just addressing that with him and working on ball security, especially now, facing Denver?
MV: Same way I do all the time, Soph [Sophie Weller]. We have to be able to not get careless with the football. We can't be reckless. And a lot of it is operation. I mean, we had two turnovers where we all weren't on the same page. And not only is it – you could have a negative play if you don't have everybody on the same page, but even worse, you lose the football. Or if you don't have somebody on the same page and they blitz, somebody gets hurt. So, those are the things we talk about when we're not on the same page. So, I think the operation is going to be critical.
Q: Mike, understanding every season, every team is different. Are there any lessons you took from six years ago leading a team on the road into the AFC Championship game that might help you this week or on Sunday?
MV: No, I mean, you're going to have to do what we talked about. You're going to have to be able to execute in some critical situations, some third downs. There's going to be some third downs that we're going to have to convert. And there's going to be some stops that we're going to have to be able to make. And then I think the turnovers and taking advantage of your scoring opportunities in the red zone.
Q: Mike, in your messaging to players, do you lean into the opportunity of now and the AFC Championship game, or do you try to keep things fairly similar to what you've done throughout the course of the season?
MV: I mean, I think it's similar to what we've done. It's focus on what we want the team to try to do, and then offensively, defensively and special teams, things that we think are important, go about practicing them and making sure that everybody's ready. First and second down today, we'll get third down tomorrow, on and on and on into the red zone. So, I mean, we just have to – again, I'm focused on embracing the preparation and enjoying this entire experience.
Q: What makes that Denver pass rush so talented other than the obvious?
MV: They're good. I mean, they're good. They've got speed rushers. Zach Allen, I think, led the league in quarterback hits, and he's as athletic of a player inside as you'll find. That's a tough combination when he's coming inside, and then they can't step up and [Nik] Bonitto and [Jonathon] Cooper, they keep coming. And they do a nice job blitzing. I mean, Vance [Joseph] does a nice job blitzing, but they have good personnel. And then when they don't, they get the different pressures. So, we'll have to be ready for the base guys that are in there, and then any pressures that are going to come off of it.
Q: Is there a need to work against a silent count or extra pressure in trying to deal with that crowd noise when you get everybody on the same page this week? Have you dealt with it much this year?
MV: I mean, we've worked a silent count. We've worked a silent count throughout the season. We've worked it when we weren't necessarily going on the road, just trying to figure that we would need to. We went through that stretch of home games, so I can – there were games that we were just focused on saying, "Hey, let's just do it today just to work on it so that we can have it when we need it." And we'll certainly need it this week.
Q: Do you get the feeling that the team enjoys playing on the road?
MV: I mean, probably when we win, they enjoy it. Yeah, I enjoy it, too.
Q: The defensive tackles have made a lot of impact plays during the playoffs. Can you speak to the performance of that group? And also, has it allowed you to be more flexible schematically now?
MV: I mean, I don't think the schematics of it really change much. I think that we have high expectations. Our best players have to play good. But I think that the [Cory] Durdens, the Lenny T [Leonard Taylor III]'s, the [Khyiris] Tongas, those guys stepping in have really done a nice job. And so, we have to continue to get some impact from that group, like we have the last couple weeks.
