PATRIOTS HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL
PRESS CONFERENCE
September 3, 2025
Q: Are you expecting to have Christian [Gonzalez] out there, and if not, is it safe to say he likely won't be available on Sunday?
MV: Well, I wouldn't say that. He's continuing to work, and he'll do some stuff on the side, but I'm not going to rule anybody out. Stacey [James] just made an announcement about the injury report, so we'll continue to work and treat and make sure that we're doing everything that we can to help him, and he's doing everything he can to get back out on the field. That's the only update I have right now.
Q: Meaning we won't see him today?
MV: No, it didn't sound like it.
Q: Will he continue to avoid the IR or is that a possiblity?
MV: No, he won't be out there today, Mark [Daniels]. Can't tell you much other than that.
Q: How much does a guy like him need to practice before you feel comfortable putting him in the game?
MV: It won't be today, so I apologize, but that's where it'll be.
I mean, I do like where he's at from an engagement standpoint. We've been through this with other players, and I like where he's at from that standpoint. In the meetings, locked in, following along at practice, which is difficult. To think that a player that's not in there can follow along, I've been through that as a player and a coach, and I think he's done a nice job of being able to do that.
Q: I just want to ask one quick on that. Is it important for players to get to 100 percent? Is every player different?
MV: I mean, I don't use percentages, but, again, I'll remind you what we talked about as far as, when I try to make decisions about players and returning, one, can they make it worse? Can they, two, protect themselves? We can all say what we want about this game, but it's violent, and can you protect yourself? And can you do your job up to the standard that we expect and that the player is used to? So, those are the things that I've tried to use when making decisions. Maybe I'll add some to that, but that's what I've tried to use in my other experience in this position.
Q: Mike, the initial reports, and I know they didn't come from you –
MV: Yeah, I mean, please, guys, I mean, this is the first Wednesday of the season and he's not going to be at practice. Just please use your time as efficiently as we can about our team, about the Raiders. And I know Christian is a large part of our team, but he's not going to be out there today. So, that's all I can update you with. Do you have anything else since I cut you off?
Q: Yeah, well, I've got to write about the Raiders this week. I know Week 1 is always tricky, but the fact that they bring in Geno [Smith], they have Ashton Jeanty –
MV: What terrific young skill players. I mean, Brock Bowers plays like a wide receiver. He's a willing blocker. Jeanty, powerful, fast, continues to move his feet after contact, breaks a lot of tackles. Speed on the outside, savviness with [Jakobi] Meyers. Big physical offensive line. So, that will be a challenge when you talk about that. Geno really does a nice job of taking care of the football. Very good completion percentage, so he knows where he wants to go with the football.
Q: Mike, following that up a little bit, during the first week, how tough is it to get ready for an opponent with a first-year coach? Do you have to go back to what Pete [Carroll] has done with other teams?
MV: Well, I mean, they have a first-year defensive coach with a coordinator that's been there and done stuff, and then they have a new offensive coordinator who's been in the NFL and has also come from The Ohio State University. And so, that's a pretty unique, I think, blend of what we have to try to anticipate. There's going to be numerous plays in the game that we won't have seen or we won't have run in practice in this preparation. That's how it goes. I mean, it's going to be like that every week. But, just trying to get themes and concepts and ideas of what they may want to do defensively with Pat [Patrick Graham] and Pete's style and scheme, and then what they may want to do offensively from what Chip [Kelly]'s done in the past in the NFL, from what he's done in college, what Geno likes. Certainly, quarterbacks in this league like things, and will get things added, so I'm sure there will be things that he's liked that they'll run from plays he liked in Seattle.
Q: I wanted to ask about that overlap, it goes from Pat Graham, who's seen Josh McDaniels' offense a million times from being here. Patriots and Josh have also attacked Pete's defense in different ways, Super Bowls, playoff games, the Gus Bradley defense when they were with the Chargers. Do you try and game out how they'll react to what you're doing, et cetera?
MV: Well, the one thing you don't want to be is too cute, certainly, in Week 1 or at any time, and think, "Well, they know and they think we're going to do this, so then we're going to do this," and I think we have to be really sound and use our rules, and if we see something that's new, we have to keep our composure and keep our poise and figure out ways to make it work.
Q: Marcus Jones was named a captain this season. Just what did you see from him as a leader throughout this summer?
MV: Well, I mean, really by example. Just the way that his practice habits, his professionalism, I would say, and then his performance on the field and what he does and how he plays. So, I really like being around Marcus. I like the person he is and the player that he is.
Q: Mike, I know in Tennessee you would identify three to four things the team had to do before every game in order to win. These kind of keys to boil down. Have you done that already this week, and if so, is that something you'll share with us?
MV: Yes, we have, and no, we won't.
You don't want to get too convoluted and just try to make sure that the players are seeing it the same way as we do after all the film and things that we think are going to be important this week. Having been through it, it's not like I want them to memorize and have to look down. I want them to understand how their play and their position, what they can do to help us execute those keys so it's not just a blanketed, broad statement. It's like, "How does my job as a left guard," or, "How does my job as a safety or a nickel help us execute these keys or what we're trying to get done on special teams?"
Q: Mike, Pete Carroll is always known for his cover three defense and then Chip Kelly's kind of known for his up-tempo offense. Is that still the case from your perspective and are there any ways that those systems have evolved since the last time those guys were in the league?
MV: Yeah, Pete's done it for a long time and they have their adjustment. When you run something extensively or the majority of the time, you have to have answers, right? Because you know that people are going to try to scheme you and you have to be able to have answers. They've evolved and done a great job and have answers and different ways to play things that they want to do, and then they have their change-ups and their mixers. And then certainly, Chip's offense has expanded and grown. I mean, Chip used to call it on an index card. He had seven plays and they just were really good at them and they went really fast. So, I think that that's all evolved from the stuff at UCLA, from the stuff at Ohio State, to what he'll do with those skilled players that we mentioned with the Raiders.
Q: Mike, you said you wanted your team to win the second half. How do you coach your players up to reach that expectation?
MV: Well, I think conditioning, I think an emphasis, I think taking a break – and that's a good question, I appreciate that. We actually put a break in there midway through practice where we have two team periods left, and I said, "You guys are going to think this is some gimmick, but it's going to be me saying, 'Hey, coaches, get together, tell them, 'Listen, this is how practice started, whatever's going on, let's be conscious here to finish strong, win the second half, win the second half.'" And I think it's just a good reminder, and working on our conditioning.
Q: Mike, regarding the tempo in winning the second half and Chip's offensive style being fast –
MV: Well, I mean, it's not – I don't think it's a breakneck. Maybe it will be, I mean, we'll see. But, I mean, I think it's a little different than probably what it was in Philadelphia. And if it isn't, we'll have to be ready for it. But go ahead.
Q: Either way, it's the first full game these guys are going to play this year. So, from a football conditioning standpoint, how does that affect substitutions?
MV: Well, everybody will have to play. I mean, everybody has to play every game and be ready to play, and the ones that are in condition and are playing the way that we expect them to will stay in there. And then when they're not, then they'll have to get a break and put the next guy in there like we've always done.
Q: Mike, you had a plan for Morgan Moses throughout the spring and summer. He's now likely going to have Maxx Crosby across from him for a majority of the game. How confident are you in that plan and him being ready to go and go for, if not the full game, the majority of the game?
MV: Yeah, I mean, I'm confident. I think Mo's worked extremely hard and done exactly what we've asked him to do. And he's been involved in a lot of their reps.
Q: Now that you've had a full offseason with him, I'm just curious, where has Drake Maye stood out most off the field to you?
MV: Well, I think his command in the meetings. I think the reach of the locker room, the reach of the players, the stuff off the field, being engaged in that way and knowing how important that particular position is in all three phases, on special teams and the impact that he can make as a quarterback.
