PATRIOTS HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL

PRESS CONFERENCE

September 24, 2025

Q: Do you anticipate being able to ramp up Christian Gonzalez this week in hopes of him possibly playing Sunday?

MV: Yeah. I think that that's the plan. Excited about his efforts and willingness to get back and work hard and practice last week. I made a decision at the end of the week that just – I think we needed a little bit more time. And that's what happens when you start this return to play, you practice, you work hard, then you see how you respond and then to make a decision if that player's ready for a football game. We felt like that he probably needed a little bit more time. Hopefully he'll be ready to go. Excited to see him and everybody else practice today.

Q: How great an effect can Christian – you've only seen him on film really – what impact does he have for you guys?

MV: Well, I think we need all our best players. I've said this numerous times here, your best players have to play good in order for you to have a chance to win. And so, Christian would be one of those players, and we just need to try to get everybody out there that we can get out there. Hopefully he progresses well throughout the week and he can help us.

Q: Mike, what'd you see as the mood of the team today as you guys came back and got ready for work after last week?

MV: I mean, I think it's where it has to be. Whether you win or lose, you have to remain consistent, get back to work and prepare for a new opponent. You put a lot into it every week, disappointed that you lose, but that's in the rear view mirror. We have to be able to attack each and every week, and once you make the corrections and once you point out the things that we have to do better in order to win. Then it's on to the preparation and the new challenge ahead.

Q: Mike, there's a saying that you can't win unless you learn how not to lose. In terms of learning how not to lose, can that be taught or is that on the players?

MV: Well, I think by building, doing things the right way and believing in what it is that we feel like is an identity, that hopefully that will take care of it. I mean, I think the more that you put yourself in close games, the more that you put yourselves in those situations, that you have to be able to have some favorable outcomes. You have to be able to respond, you have to be able to get stops in the red zone, or you have to be able to take care of the football, or you have to be able to produce some explosive gains in the return phase. All those things that are critical, I think it kind of just comes hand in hand with it. We try to point them out as often as we possibly can.

Q: Mike, you mentioned you made the decision last week that you needed more time with Christian. What information do you use to make a decision like that?

MV: Just revisiting this from previous conversations. One, can the players protect themselves? Can they go out there in this game and protect themselves? It's a violent game, can they protect themselves? Can they do their job to the standard that we have set for them and they've set for themselves? And can they make it worse? So, those are the three things that I would probably use. I think a lot goes into being able to protect yourself, the conditioning of the person. A player that would maybe get tired or wouldn't be in a proper condition to play in an NFL game could then lead to another injury or not being able to protect themselves. But those are the three things that I try to use in making those decisions.

Q: Mike, the Panthers' defense, what are they doing from a movement perspective that will challenge you guys?

MV: Well, they're very sound and they've done a lot. They have a lot in the playbook, they have a lot in their history, but they're playing their best defense when they're just sound when they line up. Very good interior. I think the secondary is very good. I think that, obviously, [Jaycee] Horn, [Mike] Jackson and [Tre'von] Moehrig has been a very good player. Linebackers are good tacklers, and [Derrick] Brown is one of the best interior defensive linemen. But they play sound, they play with their hands, they tackle well. And so, they really haven't been beating themselves too much.

Q: What did you think about Tet [Tetairoa] McMillan on the other side?

MV: I mean, all the same things that you look at and saw when you were seeing him come out. He's a big athlete, smooth, fluid mover, good at the catch point. Body control for such a long player, very agile, loose. Upper body flexibility, can turn, locate the football. So, good catch radius. Seems like Bryce [Young] certainly trusts him already to be where he's supposed to be. So, that'll be a huge challenge.

Q: Mike, in your experience, how deep into a season do you typically find out who your team is from a strength to weaknesses standpoint?

MV: I don't know, I mean, I think when it's there, you kind of know it. And so, we've got a bunch of different things that we've done well and not so well, and then things that gotten us beat. So, I don't want us to forget about all the positives, the good things that have happened and the very good winning snaps that we've played. And then, obviously, you have to eliminate the things that get us beat, the turnovers, the punt returns, the X plays on defense, those types of things.

Q: They're putting up really phenomenal kick coverage. What are they doing that's different?

MV: It's impressive. I mean, I sat there and looked at it for two hours last night. I mean, impressive. They've got good players, they've got great speed. They change the scheme up on you. And so, that'll be critical that we're able to protect the guy with the ball. They're flying. And it starts with the kicker, kicks a good kick, dirty kick. So, he's had the returners sometimes confused. He's kicking them when he kicks them deep. They're right at the goal line, forcing you to return them, or last week a couple times they touched it, took a step back and then had it on the 20 yard line. So, they've done a fantastic job. Credit to their staff and to the players.

Q: How would you define a dirty kick?

MV: One that's on the ground in between the 20 and the goal line. Sometimes it one hops and they can return it, sometimes it kicks and goes sideways and we'll have to be prepared for that wherever they kick it.

Q: Mike, on ball security drills, you've seen throughout the offseason. You have a game like on Sunday, do you try something new when it comes to that?

MV: Well, we just put some more time into it. And then again, I'm going to remind you that everybody else's job is to protect the guy with the ball. And so, we'll have to practice that too, because that wasn't good enough. Again, the easy thing to say is that we had three players fumble the football, which is obvious. We have to use great technique and then everyone else needs to strain to protect the player with the ball. And that's what we're going to get accomplished.

Q: Mike, on Efton Chism [III], has he been inactive because his injury is lingering or is it something else?

MV: Just my decision each and every week. We can only get five right now, we've only been taking five, so that can change each week. And he's working hard, working in practice. We'll evaluate that each week as to what his role would be and how he can help us. But that's kind of where that is.

Q: Could you see Kyle Williams' opportunities increase?

MV: Yeah, hopefully. I mean, again, the ones we've thrown to him, he's caught. Just keep building a role for him, get everybody some opportunities and let the quarterback throw to the guy that's open.

Q: What are the factors that go into batted balls and how do you go about preventing those?

MV: I think arm angle, staring the throw down. I think in tight windows down in the red zone, if you stare it down, you'll probably get some passes batted against good teams that don't run past the quarterback. I think timing, defensively timing, being able to not stand at the line, but be able to rush and then get the correct hand up. And then quarterbacks that have a tendency to, again, like I said, get low with their release or sometimes it's the route has an effect on it as well if it's over the middle and short.

Q: Mike, every week in the game notes, it lists all the common connections between the Patriots and their opponents. This week, it's very thin, there's almost no crossover between the Patriots and the Panthers, between coaches and players. What's that like to game plan for a team where you guys have almost no personal experience with the other side?

MV: Just watch the tape. Just try to focus in on the tape, have an idea of how to prepare the players that way and focus on those things. Focus on the things that you see, maybe things that they've done in the past or what they may do to us situationally.

Q: Mike, on Stefon Diggs and his playing time, how much of that number where we're at right now through three games is tied to just what he was coming back from injury-wise?

MV: I mean, I think it's all going to change. I think, through three games, seeing where it's at, the packages that we've used and the stuff that we've asked some of these guys to do is just trying to find a role for each and every one of them. And I don't think any of them are going to play 90% of the snaps.