PATRIOTS HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL

PRESS CONFERENCE
October 19, 2026

Q: Hey, Mike. With a couple of guards injured, I was wondering if you know anything about their status and if you might have to go outside and bring in some new bodies?

MV: I think we'll add [Andrew] Rupcich and [Jacob] Rizy from guys that have been here previously to help us here as we move forward. So, I would say that we'd have to stay pretty fluid. I'm proud of the way that the guys that were in there finished the game with a critical drive and that they showed up in good fashion. We were able to run the football, take the time and the clock down and end the drive with some points.

Q: Those guys to the practice squad?

MV: Yeah.

Q: We talked to a couple of the linemen who were like, "I've never been down to the eighth guy," and having to play meaningful snaps, in other words, not clearing off the bench? What if there had to have been a ninth guy? What's the break glass, in case of emergency plan?

MV: Oh, we'll hold that one for a later date. There was a scenario or there was a conversation about it, so I'd hate to tell you what it was, but –

Q: Mike, we asked you about your depth during the preseason. You were pretty open how you weren't sure about it. I think maybe after the Eagles preseason game, you said you weren't a very deep team. How do you feel about your depth now?

MV: You guys ask me this question every day. I answer it the same way.

Q: I haven't asked that question yet this week.

MV: Everybody prepares as a starter. I can't wait to watch those guys that prepare all week without knowing whether they're going to get an opportunity to play. And then when they do, take advantage of it, and that's a testament to those players. Reference the players that we signed or added to our roster at the end of training camp, which was a unique number, I think, for me. Again, those players got ready to go. They prepared, whether they were on the active roster or whether they were on the practice squad. They learned the system, learned what we want to do, whether it's special teams, whether that's offense or defense, and then they've been able to help us. So, that's what we have to continue to do. And then as that gets depleted, then it's the next wave of players that come in to be ready to go on game day.

Q: A few of the guys yesterday described the injury situation as insane. Have you guys noticed any commonalities or trends with the injuries or anything that you guys could do differently moving forward?

MV: Nope. Just how it goes.

Q: Football teams at any level talk about next-man-up mentality, but you can't just snap your fingers and have it work. You guys have had it work very well. Can you put your finger on anything you've learned over time or that you guys do differently here as a result of things that you've worked on?

MV: Try to coach everybody the same. We hold the best players accountable, but we also coach every single player that shows up ready to work and ready to find a way to help the football team. We've been through this. We played 91 guys in whatever, 2021, so it's not like we're not used to understanding that things are going to happen along the way. I think the players start to recognize that. They see that. They try to find a role, earn a role, figure out what they can do. See how many different positions other guys can play, whether that's tackle and guard, safety, nickel, linebacker, gunner. We really are just trying to find ways to help the team. And then, guys have embraced that.

Q: With the offensive line group, can you just speak to the job Doug Marone has done with those guys and having them ready to go each week?

MV: Yeah, and I think all three of those guys, Dougie, Hoss [Jason Houghtaling] and JD [Jonathan Decoster] are able to get guys ready to go. They get them the reps that they think they need, whether that's walkthrough reps or getting Walter Rouse ready, getting Matt [Pryor] ready. Being able to get Caleb Lomu ready on both sides to be the swing tackle - play left one week, play right another. So, those are all real positive, and we'll need their best efforts this week as we move forward.

Q: Mike, we've talked a lot about sense of urgency. What's the sense of urgency in a week like this? Is it mental and then just making sure that your body gets what it needs treatment-wise and everything else?

MV: Yeah, I think that's probably something that we've always talked about is trying to be – win the mental prep and the physical recovery. There's only so much that you can do physically here over the next couple of days. It's got to be done mentally, but also the physical recovery that you have to put in to know by Thursday night that you'll feel good.

Q: What impresses you the most about this Bears team?

MV: They're physical. It's a physical football team. Defensively, they're connected. They play really well as a unit. Whether that's the pressure that they are able to create, and the moving parts and the coverage concepts that they have to go with it. Dennis [Allen] has always done a great job. Players understand it. They play fast. They get off the field. Offensively, they extend drives. They run the football. They've been without Caleb [Williams] for a couple weeks, but certainly you can see the impact that he makes. Their runners or anybody that touches the ball is going to be a physical player, is going to be a tough tackle. We'll have to be great tacklers and do something to try to change the fact that their offense is out there for 73 snaps and their defense is out there for 50.

Q: Have you seen Caleb Lomu grow and improve since the season began?

MV: Just trying to get ready each and every week. It's a lot of new things for him. It's a new league for him. Coming from college, being 21, and it's a tough position to be able to go out there and play. I think he's gotten better. I think that's the goal, to continue to invest in the young guys, coach them and know that that's going to pay dividends down the road.

Q: When it comes to Milton Williams, he said yesterday that you talked some smack on the sidelines and stuff like that. I'm just curious how you see him respond to that and what it was like to see him get his first sack.

MV: Oh, I say that all the time, not just on the sidelines. This is part of coming to work and trying to have a connection with these guys. I appreciate what Milt does -- his leadership, his efforts and his impact. I know that every player wants great stats, but to be able to be disruptive, to play hard and do some of those things that he does and has continued to do in the last three weeks have really helped us defensively. I hope that they give it back to me, which they do, or they give it to me and it's back and forth. But I think that's just part of spending a lot of time with each other and getting to know each other.

Q: Milton seems like he's not afraid to give it back to you, it seems.

MV: No. I'm fine with it, trust me.

Q: Coach, this morning you called the turnovers embarrassing. Is there anything you can do differently coaching, or is it just a matter of guys taking onus and holding onto the ball?

MV: We'll rep it more. We'll put more time into it, I guess. I don't know how you can put any more time into the amount of ball security drills we do. Take a bigger onus of protecting the guy with the ball. Somebody beats me across my face and hammers the ball out, to share half the fumble. But I'm certainly cognizant. You can put it on me. That's probably the easiest thing.

Q: Mike, on the fourth-and-5, how close is that call when you go for it at the third quarter of that first drive? A 57-yard field goal is definitely off the table, right? Or maybe not even.

MV: I don't think it's off the table. I'm just trying to do what we feel like we need to do to win the football game at that point.

Q: Mike, you mentioned players you acquired right before the start of the season and how they've helped you on special teams and other areas. Cameron Latu being one of those guys, the tone that is set on the opening kickoff or after a score, him downfield, but also marrying the kick to the coverage. How important is that?

MV: Well, I think you saw guys that are really taking that unit. Again, a lot of young guys on that unit. I think they're starting to take some pride. Corey [Kiner] helped us in a kickoff return. I thought there were some things that were well-blocked, got us to the safeties a couple times. I think the kickoff team continues to try to set the table for the defense and that tone. I think you're right. You see the attitude, you see the energy on the sidelines that it's created and the impact that it can have. So, it's every single week. They're going to start doubling guys, or they double Schools [Brenden Schooler] and the other guys have to make plays and everybody has a part in that. So, it does start with the kick and being able to put it in a great spot. It's fun to watch those guys have some energy, and the more we score, the more they get to cover.

Q: Mike, 52 snaps for A.J. Brown yesterday. Why did that feel like the right approach with him?

MV: We were down to four guys, so I mean, somebody's got to play in there. We like to have our best players available as much as they can be.

Q: Coach, A.J. got introduced after Drake Maye yesterday. Is that your idea, someone else's, or did you not even care?

MV: There are things that I focus on and that I control, and there are things that I don't. And that's not one of them that I focus on.

Q: We saw a lot of Corey down the stretch yesterday. Was that just a matter of riding the hot hand? Was it matchup or just kind of feeling? He apparently gave you some good special team reps. He gave you some good work in the kick return. What did you see from him there, maybe specifically?

MV: I would tell you offensively, he was running and being very decisive. When you talk about that five-minute offense, not being a great runner, but being decisive in those moments, right? To be able to just hit it, and knowing that they're going to have bodies in every gap. And we start running sideways, we lose yardage, we get holding penalties, all those things that go into it. So, that was something that I think we wanted to see, and when we saw that, we kept with him. And then obviously with the kickoff return, being able to press and to be able to find just a small cut. I think it's unique, and again, that gave us a lift. That was something that was really positive, and you have to be willing to run through the smoke with 20 bodies all around you.

Q: How have you seen Milton, obviously getting a lot of attention in the doubles, how have you seen him sort of fight through that and become what you said the last three weeks, being more of a presence?

MV: Yeah, I think just finding opportunities where he can affect the game and understanding that there are ways to be able to – we talk about this all the time, make the play without making the tackle. And that's something that we've preached for many years about being able to make the play without making the tackle. And understand that sometimes up front, you're not always going to get the sack, you're not always going to get the tackle. But the ability to create a new line of scrimmage or to be able to affect the quarterback -- he slides over to be associated with the game or being able to pressure away from different looks -- all kind of go into it. So, I know that he'll continue to work, and he'll continue to help us and try to be as disruptive as he can to help the defense.