PATRIOTS HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL
PRESS CONFERENCE
September 18, 2026
Q: Mike, Carlton Davis hasn't practiced all week. Should we assume he's out this week?
MV: Oh, I don't assume, but he'll be questionable. We'll have to see how he comes in here tomorrow. We'll continue to evaluate, and then if the designation changes, we'll update everybody.
Q: When it comes to TreVeyon's [Henderson] social media activity- you spoke in the spring about the fine line when it comes to expressing your personal beliefs and also recognizing that you are representing the organization. Is that something that you've had to address further with him, or how has he –
MV: No, I think he's handled it as maturely – and I think he tried to explain himself. TreVeyon Henderson is a special person, a great teammate. I love being around him. I think he's pretty much spoke on what he thought and what he believes, and I think that that's impressive for him to be able to speak on it. I'll leave it up to him.
Q: What kind of camp year has Charles Woods had? What have you seen from him?
MV: Well, he had a full camp with us this year. He's got some multiplicity, got some versatility. He plays outside, plays inside, works hard in the kicking game. So, I think he just continues to improve, is ready to go. He prepares as a starter. I think he has a great energy. I like being around Woodsy. He's got a good demeanor to him, and I know that if he has to go in there, he'll be ready to go.
Q: I know other teams have done this, but what do you make of your offense's performance against Cover 6, maybe in the last five, six games?
MV: If we get Cover 6 on Sunday – our focus is truly on Sunday. And so, I think that there will be multiple – I'm sure we'll see snaps of Cover 6. They're going to play some quarters, they're going to play some post safety, they're going to blitz, and we'll have to be ready for everything.
Q: How crazy is it that Mike Smith was drafted in the same class as Aaron Rodgers?
MV: I guess, yeah. One guy had a better career than the other guy. But yeah, he's done it for a lot of years at a very high level, a Hall of Fame player. I guess it's funny to think that they're the same age and they got drafted the same year.
Q: Mike, what was your view of Stephon Gilmore, going against him, and specifically in 2019 when you guys came here in the playoffs? He was Defensive Player of the Year.
MV: Just impressive. Just great patience, great speed and reaction. Never looked too stressed. I think that was always a thing. He just always looked smooth and under control. Yeah, we didn't throw for many yards that game, but he was somebody that we always had to be aware of and know where he was at, whether that was in Indianapolis or here. I'm excited to have him here with us and retire a Patriot. It was good to see him at practice, see his son and meet him.
Q: With rain in the forecast on Sunday, I'm just curious if you guys do anything at practice to simulate those kind of conditions?
MV: Yeah, we try to do the wet ball, quarterback-center exchange during quarterback indy. Certainly, something that we're conscious of, have done and will continue to do.
Q: I wanted to ask you about the virtual rooms, what you guys get out of those and just how nice is it to have that here in this facility?
MV: Well, I think that was something that was important to Jonathan [Kraft] when we started looking at the building, his blueprint for that. Then for Stretch [John Streicher] and I to be able to go in, figure out how we wanted to do it in the turf and the proximity to the meeting rooms. It allows our coaches and our players to leave an individual meeting room, to walk out a door into a mobile classroom and to be able to change, basically, the dynamics of how we teach. Players can get into the position in the hash plus-two. So many things are built off of splits and landmarks on the field. Then be able to watch the play on the screen, be able to look at the installation. And so, it's just another opportunity for our players to learn and to get ready for the football game.
Q: Mike, we've seen Efton [Chism III] wear the scout team jersey for Roman Wilson this week. How do you split the time with someone who's probably going to be on the game day roster while also asking them to do scout team duties?
MV: Yeah, I think they're all doing it. Mack [Hollins] jumps in there. These guys that love football, they want to take as many reps as possible, and we try to make sure that we're monitoring how much running they're doing during the week. If Chis isn't getting enough routes offensively or he wants some more routes, he jumps in there and is ready. I think he looks at it as an opportunity to improve, which is a great way to look at it.
Q: Mike, I saw Drake [Maye] look to Mack Hollins in a lot of big moments last week. We talk about Mack a lot as a blocker, but what stands out to you about him as a receiver and the connection that he has with Drake?
MV: Well, there's nothing more important than the quarterback-receiver. They're able to think alike. And I've always said if I was a receiver, I'd probably want to know where the quarterback wanted me and how he wanted me to get there. Mack works hard at that. He's got great energy and was a big part of our success last year. He worked hard to get back from injury to make it there to the last game. But I would imagine that he'd be a big part of our success going forward.
Q: Mike, I'm doing a story on Stick [Preston Rogers] and his equipment crew, and kind of the weird things that they get asked for, whether it's a certain color Jolly Rancher or kind of bubble gum for the sideline. I'm curious, is there anything that you ask for from them that you either need in your coach's room or on the sideline?
MV: I have 47 blue vests that look just like this one. I wear the same one every day, and they're well-stocked. But they're a fantastic group. I hope our players appreciate them, and I know that they do. Everything that we need is ready to go, most times before we even ask for it. They're prepared. So, that's a good group, and I'm excited that I get to work with them.
Q: Mike, how was the weekend update today?
MV: Good. I wouldn't say as good as the first week, but it was good. It was good.
Q: Will [Campbell] give him any tips?
MV: Will's trying, but there's a group of writers that assist Caleb [Lomu], so I'll leave it at that.
Q: Mike, Josh [McDaniels] talked yesterday about this year he expects defenses to do different things with a full year of tape on Drake Maye and the system. Do you have any sense, and is even that sense or guess worth anything going into the early part of the season?
MV: We have to be ready. Like I told our players. T.J. Watt's going to be on the right, and Cam Heyward's going to be somewhere in the middle. I mean, T.J.'s going to be on an edge, and Cam's going to be over one of the guards. But they obviously have other players. My point is, we're going to have to block them. We're going to have to get open. And if it's a man game, we'll have to adjust. If it's a Cover 2 game, we'll have to make sure that we're prepared for that. And if it's a Cover 4 game, if it's a simulated pressure game or whatever front they come in. We can try to guess, but I don't think you can just all say, "Hey, I know that they're going to do this." You have 60, 57 snaps from last week, or whatever it was, to go off of.
Q: We always talk about the home advantage of having a loud environment to disrupt the opponent offense. Just wondering, does it ever make a challenge for your own defense to communicate or make any pre-snap adjustments?
MV: Yeah. I mean, we appreciate our fans. They're fantastic. They're knowledgeable. We have to give them things to cheer about. And part of that is what you mentioned, is the defensive communication, nonverbal communication, the eye contact. That's critical. And you see that at times where, all of a sudden, we're able to talk to each other on the road, and we come home and it's like, "Oh man." And that's why we turn the music up and we force them to do all those things during practice. So, we anticipate that. But that's something that has to happen and everyone has to be on the same page, seeing and expecting a call and then being decisive with the call that we make.
