PATRIOTS HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL
PRESS CONFERENCE
December 31, 2025
Q: How disappointing is it to have to deal with this type of distraction involving two players with alleged cases against them right now?
MV: Well, I would say not disappointing at all. These are allegations, like you mentioned in your question. It's things that we have to handle, and every day there's distractions, some are smaller than others. I'm confident that we'll focus on the Dolphins and those two individuals that you mentioned will be able to handle the ongoing legal process.
Q: Outside the locker room. Do you handle it – will there be any team discipline as far as you're concerned?
MV: Again, there's ongoing legal matters. And these, again, are allegations. We've made a statement, we've taken the allegations very seriously, and what comes of that, I think then we'll have another discussion. But I don't think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now and let the process take its toll.
Q: Coach, any concerns about the availability of both players?
MV: Christian [Barmore]'s away with an illness today, and so I would say that his availability for practice – he won't be out there. But no, I haven't heard anything that would keep either player from the game.
Q: Mike, as a coach and coaching staff, in light of all of this, how do you keep your players focused on Miami and on the field? Is there a special focus?
MV: No different than we've done every single week. We come in on Wednesday, we try to learn the personnel, talk about the Dolphins that are 5-2 in their last seven games, have turned the ball over – created 13 turnovers in those five wins, with a running back that's first in the league in yards per carry, yards after contact and explosive runs, and some young defensive linemen that are really improving and playing well. That was our focus this morning, trying to prepare for our opponent, put the game plan in and practice. But that's what we do every single Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Q: Do you feel as though the team has a comprehensive understanding of both incidents, or are you still in the process of gathering more information?
MV: Well, we always want to gather more information, but these are – we've been aware of these allegations. Yesterday and today aren't the first that we've heard about them. Trying to do everything in accordance with the league policy and making sure that we're in compliance with the league.
Q: I thought the team statement said that you guys were aware in August about the Barmore allegations. Is that not true?
MV: Again, I'm not really sure of the timeline. When we've been able to find out what the information was, these are things that – like I said, these aren't a surprise that today and yesterday, this came out.
Q: When were you made aware of the [Stefon] Diggs incident?
MV: When they were able to make us aware from the court filings and some things like that. So, those are all things, again, we'll handle with respect to the court, the process and the ongoing. So, we just have to be – and again, I want to be respectful of what you guys have to do, but we also have to be respectful of what our players are trying to do and what we're trying to do as a coaching staff. We started this thing in Miami, didn't do a very good job against Vegas, and we were able to start it against Miami. We're hoping to do everything that we can to finish the regular season really strong against Miami.
Q: Are you afraid that these will become distracting?
MV: Afraid? No, not afraid. I'm 50 years old and going to be 51. I'm not afraid. I love coaching this football team, I love the way that they come to work, I love the youth, I love the veterans, I love the leadership and I really have appreciated everyone's growth throughout this entire process. I think that's the thing that I really enjoy is just guys like TreVeyon [Henderson] and Kyle [Williams] being excited and Will [Campbell] being excited about coming back, and then our quarterback and the way Drake [Maye] has grown, our veteran leadership from Stef [Stefon Diggs], Morgan [Moses] and Garrett [Bradbury] on offense, the consistency that Big Mike [Mike Onwenu]'s had, and Hunter [Henry], we talked about his consistency. I want the best for these guys on the field and off the field.
Q: Mike, in the team statement that was released yesterday about the Diggs situation, it says, "We support Stefon." What does that mean?
MV: That everybody that we care about and that we have been close to for a while, we support. And we do. We understand that there's allegations, but we also want to support each and every player, each and every coach and each and every staff member.
Q: Mike, you've relied a lot on rookies this year and young players. Do you talk to your captains to be able to talk to the team in order to try to keep this on the back burner? Do you address the team personally?
MV: Yes, I talk to the team. I talk to the team about making sure that we speak for ourselves, and if Stef and Christian have something to say, I support that. But we're also going to, I think, speak for ourselves, and make sure that they are focused on what they have to do and the improvements that they have to make. The focus this week is improve through practice and try to finish what we started.
Q: Mike, in the police report that's asked to the charge against Christian, his accuser describes being thrown to the ground in front of their child and then calling a car service that the team provides, taking her to Delaware. Then she provides photos of bruises after being thrown to the ground to police. Those photos were added to the report. In the statement, you said you guys were aware at the time of the incident in August. Since then, what has made you comfortable to continue putting Christian out of practice and in games?
MV: Again, allegations, and we want to make sure that the court – that those ongoing court proceedings – and once those are satisfied, then we'll come to whatever conclusion and whatever decision that we have to make. We'll also stay committed to our preparation here with Miami, making sure that everybody's ready to go, whoever plays on Sunday.
Q: Has the NFL told you if –
MV: The NFL hasn't told me anything, so I don't want to waste your time on that. I haven't had a call with the NFL.
Q: Coach, historically the team has dealt with outside noise in the past. What's sort of your message to the team around times like this one?
MV: Improve through practice, finish what we started and speak for yourself. So, that's what we've talked about. That was my message and we'll continue to do that. Can't worry about playoff scenarios and a lot of what ifs. We're going to focus on trying to make sure that we're as prepared for a team that we haven't played – they're a lot different and I think that we're a lot different than what the two teams that played in September are.
Q: Do you anticipate the starters playing this week?
MV: Of course. Anybody that's healthy. We're going to do everything we can to win the football game.
Q: Mike, is the clock going to start with Will Campbell today?
MV: Yes. Will, Alex Austin will be out there. See how he looks and see where Milt [Milton Williams] is from last week.
Q: Mike, how much do you take into account individual improvements in this final game, whether it's hitting certain incentives for individual players or an award maybe being at stake like MVP?
MV: If it's anything that can help the team win, I'm all in favor of. We've talked about this maybe three or four weeks ago about chasing wins and not plays. And so, I want those to all align. And I can always appreciate production, I get it. Whether that's tackles, play time, sacks, catches, touchdowns. But really what I'm focused on is wins, and I have to try to balance that between individual players, then units and then a team.
Q: Mike, in the statement released about Stefon Diggs, it was mentioned that he has categorically denied those allegations to the team. No such mention was in the statement regarding Christian. Has he denied the incident as described in the police report?
MV: Yeah, I'm not going to focus on any of the conversations that we've had with the players or I've had with the players. And so, I'm going to let the ongoing court process take its course, and I'm going to focus on the Dolphin, focus on coaching this football team and the guys that are healthy enough to be out there.
Q: Does the team routinely offer car service to players, loved ones, family members, wives or girlfriends?
MV: I don't know that that is the case. Since 2001, probably, I've had the same company, when I go to the airport, take me, whether I was a player or a coach here. So, I don't know, I can't comment on that. I apologize.
Q: About 25 to 30 guys came back from a year ago on the roster. Maybe five or six of them were signed to contracts. I'm more wanting to talk about Jaylinn Hawkins. The decision to bring him back, it was in March, so I don't know how well you got to know him over the first few months, but can you talk about the decision to bring him back?
MV: I would say that through Jeremy Springer and Tom Quinn's efforts to explain to me their group of core guys, he kept coming up. He had to play defense, but he was on every single special team, was the wing. I think they described him as a selfless player who would do anything that he could to help the football team and was playing a lot of defense. Seemed like a veteran guy that we would want to have around. And then in the conversations that we had with me, Eliot [Wolf], [Ryan Cowden] and Stretch [John Streicher], was excited to be able to bring him back. He's earned everything that he has now with the production, the play time. Keeps working, it means a lot to him. He's a fun guy to coach, and I'm happy that he's having success.
