HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL

PRESS CONFERENCE
October 20, 2025

Q: Does it make you feel good to hear so many players talk about still having so much to fix and get right after the game?

MV: I think so. I think that just the awareness, the ability and the desire to want to improve in this league as we go along, whether we win or we lose, we have to strive for that. It's just that it's an improvement league. Talked about getting better as we go along and there's glimpses of it. We just need to be a little bit more consistent and continue to build.

Q: Speaking of improvement, where did you see the ground game start to take some strides in terms of the positive runs?

MV: I thought we were more decisive. I thought we gave them a chance early at the line of scrimmage. To be able to get into the line of scrimmage, to be able to make some breaks and give them some space, there's a lot there to continue to improve on. If you want to hit some big ones, you're going to have to be able to block support players, you're going to have to be able to block safeties, block force. But I thought we got them through the line of scrimmage at times. I thought we were decisive. There were times where there wasn't anything there and we got a couple yards, and then there were times where there was things there and we got double digit runs.

Q: After the game, Pop [DeMario Douglas] said this is the first time that he's been on a team where he feels like the offensive and defensive are personally close. How's that something that you feel like you can kind of foster as a coaching staff?

MV: I mean, we're a team. Everybody's here trying to do the same thing, just win. Whether that's the coaching staff, the support staff, trainers, the players. We're a team, we spend a lot of time together. They practice against each other; they compete against each other. Hopefully they can continue to build those connections that it's going to help them on the field, help them off the field, help them hold each other accountable. And celebrate our success together.

Q: Mike, I know he was cleared in the game. Sometimes concussion symptoms can surface the next day. Is Drake [Maye] in any kind of protocol today?

MV: Not that I'm aware of.

Q: On Drake, he gives you that game ball. It seems like, obviously, these players really, really want to play for you, and that showed yesterday with the locker room video. How do you garner that support from the team? What is your process of that?

MV: I mean, my job is to provide them with things that'll help them do their job. That help them in their career. To help them help the team. That's what we're trying to do. I try to be as authentic as I can. I try to be honest and try to get to know them. Understand what they're going through on and off the field, and try to help them. That's it.

Q: Coach, we got Cleveland coming up here. You spent some time with the Browns. What did that year do for your career? What did you learn?

MV: Well, I enjoyed that time. I enjoyed the people there. That organization. I enjoyed working with Kevin [Stefanski], the offensive staff, Tommy Rees and Chad [O'Shea]. I played with Bubba [Ventrone]. So, a lot of good young coaches. Jim Schwartz – I had a really good relationship with Schwartzy. They're playing really well. They're coming off a huge win. They're a great defense, offense is physical, physical O-line. Running backs are doing a nice job. So, we're going to get prepared as soon as we shut the door here with the Titans and moving on to the Browns.

Q: There's always a lot of techniques and things you can pick up on at a micro level. Anything broader there that Kevin and Andrew [Berry] were doing on a kind of thematic, big level that you've taken that's changed how you do things?

MV: I mean, great communication. I didn't try to get involved in the day-to-day operations. I was trying to help the players. I was trying to help the young coaches. That wasn't something that I got involved with. I tried to help with player development. But they have a great organization as far as the structure and everything. But I tried to be involved with the young coaches and with the young players, and help them in practice and help them develop.

Q: Did you place as much emphasis on analytics before Cleveland or was there anything about that stop that maybe changed your perspective on it?

MV: I mean, that's certainly something that they believe strongly in. We were getting involved with it in Tennessee, probably not to the extent that Cleveland has. We've added, and I feel like we all do. That can help us on a coaching level, and also help us as we look at personnel. So, we'll continue to try to enhance that department, that area and how they can help us looking at what we do internally, but also externally as we look at players and acquiring players. But probably won't get to that extent of where they're at right now overnight.

Q: You're 4-0 on the road, but 1-2 at home so far. You were here when this place was a hard place to play for a lot of opponents. How important is it to get back to that with five of the next seven, I think, at home?

MV: Well, we're going to focus on the next one, not five of the next seven, but certainly have appreciated the way that we've played on the road. And we know how important the home games are. You have to hold serve, you have to be great at home and use that to an advantage to where it's hard to operate, we're giving them reasons to cheer, celebrate and be excited. And so, those are things that are important to us. So, hopefully we'll give them that product this weekend.

Q: How big of a part is player development of what you do and how much do you enjoy it?

MV: Well, I do enjoy it. Outside of winning, I've said this numerous times – outside of winning, I enjoy watching players improve. I enjoy watching them put a lot of work into it, then having the success and seeing it at practice, and then getting the opportunities in the game and watching that translate. So, that's something that we believe in. No one is a finished product when they get here, whatever age you are or wherever you started or you came here, there's always some things that you can continue to improve on. And then we have another bucket of young players or developmental players that that's critical that we do that.

Q: Obviously, Rhamondre [Stevenson] played really well, playing the bulk of the snaps. Behind him, TreVeyon [Henderson] just had nine. What was the thinking there as far as that split being best for the offense this week?

MV: Just kind of how it played out. I thought Rhamondre was running well and had some good protections, and TreVeyon is going to be a large part of what we do. I just think that the way that the game started and the success that we had, that's kind of where it was this week.

Q: What did you see as the biggest difference in the defense's performance after the first quarter? It seemed like you guys really tightened up.

MV: Yeah, we just didn't do a very good job of matching their script and their scheme plays. We've got to do a better job of being ready to go with some plays that maybe they've seen on tape or that are new and using our fundamentals. But got beat on the script in their first plays and we'll have to do a better job.

Q: How much did Mike McCoy have that was new for you?

MV: Well, every week there's something new. I mean, he talked about throwing the throwback off the boot, off the keeper. So, they've had that in. Just like everybody else, they'll see stuff on tape and try to dial it up or try to do something. That's what this league's about.

Q: Kayshon Boutte with another X play yesterday. We're obviously seeing the growth on the field, but how have you seen him mature behind the scenes since you got here?

MV: I think he communicates better. I think he's a better communicator, whether that's anything that he has to deal with outside of work or outside of football family or just talking in the building. I think that's improved, just his communication. He's a pretty personal, private guy. I think that as he begins to trust us more, trust Todd [Downing], myself or any of the coaches, that that's gotten better. And then he's worked extremely hard.

Q: Any old friends or distant relatives, still Browns fans back home?

MV: Friends. Not a whole lot of relatives, but friends. I know there's a lot of friends that are season-ticket holders of the Browns. But, yeah, growing up in Northeast Ohio and being a Browns fan, so a lot of good memories back there watching them play football.

Q: This one's kind of in the weeds, but on the play where Drake got hit from an unblocked blitzer, is that a play where you'd expect Will Campbell to peel off and get that guy, or is that more something you'd expect from a more tenured guy to kind of see that?

MV: No, we need to be able to block that and protect the quarterback. We have to be able to do that. A lot of really good pockets and then there were some ones that weren't. I don't think there was anywhere in between yesterday. It was either we got a lot of time and we got a clean pocket, or we got beat on a game or a pressure, and that was, I guess, the story of the pass protection yesterday. It was either no pressure or pretty quick, immediate pressure, and we'll have to improve that.