June 9, 2025 • 11 mins
Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel addresses the media on Monday, June 9, 2025.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good hike. Karen. If view Drake may as kind of
a natural born leader or someone who's more evolving into
that role, well, I think we're always trying to evolve
in what we do, whether that's leadership, whether that's learning
(00:22):
the other side of the football, that's learning each other.
So again, Drake's you know, I think it's a unique position.
Being twenty two, it's kind of unique in that sense,
and so I think that there is a lot of
room to grow. I think there's a lot of natural
leadership qualities. I think I have to encourage him and
continue to encourage him and to put him in those
(00:43):
positions to do that so that the players understand, you know,
that there's a different version of all of us. There's
one that's maybe off the field, that there's one in
the meeting room, and then there's a version on the
field which we all have to understand is somewhat different
than what it may be off the field.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Makes a good leader as important, like.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I think, I don't think it matters if you're a
quarterback or a you know, offensive lineman or running back
or defensive back. It's it's about your ability to reach
certain players that that maybe you know again, we don't
want to have any gaps, and so hopefully that you
know what to do, that you're prepared, you do the
things right the right way. You're a good listener. I
(01:26):
think you can adapt to what happens and adapt to
the people that you're talking to, maybe based on what
they they need, as far as sometimes people need a
little different encouraging and sometimes you need a little bit
firmer hand and maybe a little bit more firmer stance.
And I think that's all important of understanding and getting
(01:47):
to know each person before you can can start to
lead them. Like, yeah, Mike, is it kind of reviewing
the things you've done in the spring? Is it competing?
Is it setting stage full with Campbell Bell? I think
that's where things have kind of changed. This is just
an extension of the last nine or ten days that
we've had on the field. That's going to look the same.
(02:07):
They're just the only difference is that there's a the
time constraint isn't the same. We're not under the same time.
So we're going to continue on with our installation, you know,
start to try to put first, second, third down together,
move down into the red zone, and so all those
things that you talked about. As far as is competing,
(02:28):
that's never going to change when we come out here
to practice. We just have to understand that, you know,
there's parameters to how we compete and staying away from
the quarterback and staying off the ground and not going
through receivers without pads on. So really for us, nothing's
going to change from the first three weeks.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
How was stuff on Digg's done since you know, coming
to New England last week? Good?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I mean, just trying to you know, figure out where
where everything is and you know, what his role is
and making sure that as we add the those situations
the third down then no huddle in the red zone,
that he's staying up on it. He's working hard in
his rehab. When he can certain drills he can be
out there, and there's certain drills that he he won't be.
(03:12):
But I think he's engaged and there I like his energy.
Christian Barmo when we talked a few weeks ago, so
he was confident that his medical issues were behind him
from last year. Do you share that same confidence and
what have you seen from him in the time you've
been with him here for these three or four weeks. Well,
I'm not going to comment on Christian's medical status. I'll
leave that up to him. But what I've seen as
(03:35):
a player that is excited, that is coachable, extremely coachable,
has some versatility. He's rushed inside, he's lined up outside,
It's worked extremely hard. You've seen him chase and play
with great effort and just down the field, and I'm
excited to see where he's at. But I've seen a
lot of just improvement and a lot of engagement from
(03:58):
him since the time that we've been here.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Your experience very early. Looking at that defensive front. Kind
of following up on that a little bit, how is
that group coming together with Milton and Christian and Kan altogether.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Well, there's a lot of other names out there as well,
so I wouldn't just single those three out. I think
that that's that's got to be a strength for us
this year. Those sat front seven, and we certainly invested
in that position, and I like how they're competing. I
like how they're working, and this is a tough time.
It's just like, hey, rush the passer, you know, be
(04:32):
a physical presence as a D lineman, but to a
certain extent in the spring and then pull back and
then get out of the way, no bull rush and
all these things that we give them. But I'm excited
where they're at and they're learning a lot of installation.
I think they're working well together. I think they're communicating,
which is which is important. I think they're they're working hard,
and they're getting in shape. From my experience, how much
(04:54):
can culture impact wins and losses? And can it compensate
for talent efficiencies? I mean, I'm sure that that's you know,
I don't know what the analytical number is, but I
think that there's certainly a way too. There's a style
in which you can play, uh that can lead to success.
(05:18):
But but but again that's never gonna make up for
for execution and and and players making making plays. But
I want you know, hopefully that we're prepared, we play hard,
and you know, we take advantage we get good enough
where we can take advantage of bad football going through
the spring. How have you gone to know to Mario
Douglass and what have you learned about him and just
his play style? Well, I love the person. I love
(05:40):
his attitude, I love his spirit. He loves a practice,
he loves to play this game. He loves football. That
that shows. I think he's gotten better. I think there's
moving him around different places and he's picked up everything
that we've asked him to do, so that the more
that he understands, the more we give him and so
excited to see where he continues to be and continue
(06:02):
to grow. The competition it left guarded early on him. Well,
we'll be able to evaluate, I think the lineman once
we get to training camp, so moving a lot of
guys through there, but really we'll have to make a
lot of those decisions and determinations once once we get
to training camp and there's pads and start stacking some
(06:22):
days together. This is purely a passing camp and so
I don't know if you get a full evaluation without
shoulder pads on as an offensive lineman. You said it's
a passing camp.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
What have you seen from the receiver and there's obviously
a lot of guys that how you seeing a big
storting out so far round the script?
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Well, I think guys are stepping up and taking advantage
of opportunities, or some guys that are working off on
the side, some guys that have haven't been available to us,
and I think that every day somebody shows us something
it's can we continue to do it consistently? Right, We'll
go down to the red zone and see who can
kind of catch, you know, maybe make some plays and
(07:00):
contested catches and tight windows. And but but I like
how they've worked. I've liked how they've responded, you know,
thrown a lot at them now with you know, first second,
third down and then adding red zone and no huddle.
So hopefully you know they're ready to go today with
all those situations. Your analytics can't send the practice. Someone
(07:22):
says that something you've done in the past and looks
the thinking behind that. I just felt like, hopefully we
can get two good days of work here and and
get going on to the off season program and we'll
still work. I just didn't want to come out. We'll
be out on the field and we'll be lifting and
running and meeting. How do you do about analytics as
(07:43):
a tool, the advent of analytics and how much it's
changed in the fifteen to twenty years. Some people lean
on it heavily. Some people use it as kind of
a guide.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
What do you do?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
We want to use technology to the best of our ability,
and what we can do to help help us be
more efficient, to help us make better decisions and formed decisions.
I don't think it's that. I don't think you can
rely and base every decision off off the numbers. But
I also think that those are important to ask questions
(08:15):
and then be able to follow up and and and
come to a sound decision on everything we do, personnel,
coaching decisions, player health and safety, strength and conditioning, every
every aspect of our program. Hopefully, uh, we'll have some
analytical background and data that we can rely on that
(08:37):
they can ask questions, and then when you look at
coaching and self scout and opponent breakdown, how we become
more efficient, uh with with that system.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
A couple of questions about leadership and Drake a little
bit earlier, just want to fall up on one thing.
How have you seen him kind of handle that balance?
I imagine it's difficult to balance between being the guy
that everybody likes and wants to be around, but all
so being demanding. Is that something they do.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Yeah, this is pro football. I don't think everybody's gonna
like you. I don't think that that's something that that
is possible, And we have to just we have to
do our job. We have to make sure that we're
prepared and that ultimately the players can hold each other
accountable to to play to our standard and play to
our identity and and know what to do and perform.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
An ability to maybe push guys and not care about
what that's.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
That's that's that's evolving, and that's that's a work in progress.
I think we're all learning each other a little bit.
I think we're all, you know, kind of learning the
system and learning the plays, and once we we master it,
I think that's going to start to separate itself.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
With one of the assistants you brought in, I don't
think you had so much experience with as some of
the others. Hey, what appealed to you about him joining
the staff? And since he was hired, what has he
done with the edge group to help him along.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Mike's a good team. He's a he's a he's a
very good past rush teacher. He's a excellent teacher that
that breaks fill down, that can explain moves, that can
show guys these moves. He's coached a lot of good
pass rushers, whether they're in a two point stance a
three point stance, they had a certain play style. The
thing I really appreciate about appreciate about Mike is he
can cater to every play style and skill set and
(10:16):
he'll show KC moves and he'll show keon different moves
and one may be better at another one, and so
it's not one size fits all, and he's able to
coach to all those different guys, and I think you'll
see it and have seen it translate to the practice field.
I think the moves and the things that they do
an individual translates to the team. So that's the thing
(10:37):
we want to do is make sure that our drills
translate to the team periods and then ultimately to the games.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Josh McDaniels, the questions you guys.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Josh McDaniels mentioned that some of the offensive coaches were
showing him cut ups the things he wanted to integrate.
I'm curious, how important was it for you to integrate
some of those principles and what is it about maybe
some West Coast things that you wanted to bring here.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
To the land.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I think they are always that you want to have
a very inclusive staff, want to make sure that people
feel comfortable sharing ideas. We understand that not everybody's ideas
is going to get used. And that goes for defense,
that goes for offense. You know, we have to come
together and decide what's best for the football team, and
you know what our players can handle, and again, what
(11:17):
can can marry with what we're already doing, and what
are some some changeups to those things. So I love
the ideas that everybody has been able to bring and
then hopefully we can blend it here in training camp.
There'll be a couple of players for personal reasons, but
other than that, we don't we don't have any holdouts,
(11:39):
if that's what you mean. But there's a couple personal
situations that are going to keep a couple of guys
from being out here. I'm sorry.
Good hike. Karen. If view Drake may as kind of
a natural born leader or someone who's more evolving into
that role, well, I think we're always trying to evolve
in what we do, whether that's leadership, whether that's learning
(00:22):
the other side of the football, that's learning each other.
So again, Drake's you know, I think it's a unique position.
Being twenty two, it's kind of unique in that sense,
and so I think that there is a lot of
room to grow. I think there's a lot of natural
leadership qualities. I think I have to encourage him and
continue to encourage him and to put him in those
(00:43):
positions to do that so that the players understand, you know,
that there's a different version of all of us. There's
one that's maybe off the field, that there's one in
the meeting room, and then there's a version on the
field which we all have to understand is somewhat different
than what it may be off the field.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Makes a good leader as important, like.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I think, I don't think it matters if you're a
quarterback or a you know, offensive lineman or running back
or defensive back. It's it's about your ability to reach
certain players that that maybe you know again, we don't
want to have any gaps, and so hopefully that you
know what to do, that you're prepared, you do the
things right the right way. You're a good listener. I
(01:26):
think you can adapt to what happens and adapt to
the people that you're talking to, maybe based on what
they they need, as far as sometimes people need a
little different encouraging and sometimes you need a little bit
firmer hand and maybe a little bit more firmer stance.
And I think that's all important of understanding and getting
(01:47):
to know each person before you can can start to
lead them. Like, yeah, Mike, is it kind of reviewing
the things you've done in the spring? Is it competing?
Is it setting stage full with Campbell Bell? I think
that's where things have kind of changed. This is just
an extension of the last nine or ten days that
we've had on the field. That's going to look the same.
(02:07):
They're just the only difference is that there's a the
time constraint isn't the same. We're not under the same time.
So we're going to continue on with our installation, you know,
start to try to put first, second, third down together,
move down into the red zone, and so all those
things that you talked about. As far as is competing,
(02:28):
that's never going to change when we come out here
to practice. We just have to understand that, you know,
there's parameters to how we compete and staying away from
the quarterback and staying off the ground and not going
through receivers without pads on. So really for us, nothing's
going to change from the first three weeks.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
How was stuff on Digg's done since you know, coming
to New England last week? Good?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I mean, just trying to you know, figure out where
where everything is and you know, what his role is
and making sure that as we add the those situations
the third down then no huddle in the red zone,
that he's staying up on it. He's working hard in
his rehab. When he can certain drills he can be
out there, and there's certain drills that he he won't be.
(03:12):
But I think he's engaged and there I like his energy.
Christian Barmo when we talked a few weeks ago, so
he was confident that his medical issues were behind him
from last year. Do you share that same confidence and
what have you seen from him in the time you've
been with him here for these three or four weeks. Well,
I'm not going to comment on Christian's medical status. I'll
leave that up to him. But what I've seen as
(03:35):
a player that is excited, that is coachable, extremely coachable,
has some versatility. He's rushed inside, he's lined up outside,
It's worked extremely hard. You've seen him chase and play
with great effort and just down the field, and I'm
excited to see where he's at. But I've seen a
lot of just improvement and a lot of engagement from
(03:58):
him since the time that we've been here.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Your experience very early. Looking at that defensive front. Kind
of following up on that a little bit, how is
that group coming together with Milton and Christian and Kan altogether.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
Well, there's a lot of other names out there as well,
so I wouldn't just single those three out. I think
that that's that's got to be a strength for us
this year. Those sat front seven, and we certainly invested
in that position, and I like how they're competing. I
like how they're working, and this is a tough time.
It's just like, hey, rush the passer, you know, be
(04:32):
a physical presence as a D lineman, but to a
certain extent in the spring and then pull back and
then get out of the way, no bull rush and
all these things that we give them. But I'm excited
where they're at and they're learning a lot of installation.
I think they're working well together. I think they're communicating,
which is which is important. I think they're they're working hard,
and they're getting in shape. From my experience, how much
(04:54):
can culture impact wins and losses? And can it compensate
for talent efficiencies? I mean, I'm sure that that's you know,
I don't know what the analytical number is, but I
think that there's certainly a way too. There's a style
in which you can play, uh that can lead to success.
(05:18):
But but but again that's never gonna make up for
for execution and and and players making making plays. But
I want you know, hopefully that we're prepared, we play hard,
and you know, we take advantage we get good enough
where we can take advantage of bad football going through
the spring. How have you gone to know to Mario
Douglass and what have you learned about him and just
his play style? Well, I love the person. I love
(05:40):
his attitude, I love his spirit. He loves a practice,
he loves to play this game. He loves football. That
that shows. I think he's gotten better. I think there's
moving him around different places and he's picked up everything
that we've asked him to do, so that the more
that he understands, the more we give him and so
excited to see where he continues to be and continue
(06:02):
to grow. The competition it left guarded early on him. Well,
we'll be able to evaluate, I think the lineman once
we get to training camp, so moving a lot of
guys through there, but really we'll have to make a
lot of those decisions and determinations once once we get
to training camp and there's pads and start stacking some
(06:22):
days together. This is purely a passing camp and so
I don't know if you get a full evaluation without
shoulder pads on as an offensive lineman. You said it's
a passing camp.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
What have you seen from the receiver and there's obviously
a lot of guys that how you seeing a big
storting out so far round the script?
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Well, I think guys are stepping up and taking advantage
of opportunities, or some guys that are working off on
the side, some guys that have haven't been available to us,
and I think that every day somebody shows us something
it's can we continue to do it consistently? Right, We'll
go down to the red zone and see who can
kind of catch, you know, maybe make some plays and
(07:00):
contested catches and tight windows. And but but I like
how they've worked. I've liked how they've responded, you know,
thrown a lot at them now with you know, first second,
third down and then adding red zone and no huddle.
So hopefully you know they're ready to go today with
all those situations. Your analytics can't send the practice. Someone
(07:22):
says that something you've done in the past and looks
the thinking behind that. I just felt like, hopefully we
can get two good days of work here and and
get going on to the off season program and we'll
still work. I just didn't want to come out. We'll
be out on the field and we'll be lifting and
running and meeting. How do you do about analytics as
(07:43):
a tool, the advent of analytics and how much it's
changed in the fifteen to twenty years. Some people lean
on it heavily. Some people use it as kind of
a guide.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
What do you do?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
We want to use technology to the best of our ability,
and what we can do to help help us be
more efficient, to help us make better decisions and formed decisions.
I don't think it's that. I don't think you can
rely and base every decision off off the numbers. But
I also think that those are important to ask questions
(08:15):
and then be able to follow up and and and
come to a sound decision on everything we do, personnel,
coaching decisions, player health and safety, strength and conditioning, every
every aspect of our program. Hopefully, uh, we'll have some
analytical background and data that we can rely on that
(08:37):
they can ask questions, and then when you look at
coaching and self scout and opponent breakdown, how we become
more efficient, uh with with that system.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
A couple of questions about leadership and Drake a little
bit earlier, just want to fall up on one thing.
How have you seen him kind of handle that balance?
I imagine it's difficult to balance between being the guy
that everybody likes and wants to be around, but all
so being demanding. Is that something they do.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Yeah, this is pro football. I don't think everybody's gonna
like you. I don't think that that's something that that
is possible, And we have to just we have to
do our job. We have to make sure that we're
prepared and that ultimately the players can hold each other
accountable to to play to our standard and play to
our identity and and know what to do and perform.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
An ability to maybe push guys and not care about
what that's.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
That's that's that's evolving, and that's that's a work in progress.
I think we're all learning each other a little bit.
I think we're all, you know, kind of learning the
system and learning the plays, and once we we master it,
I think that's going to start to separate itself.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
With one of the assistants you brought in, I don't
think you had so much experience with as some of
the others. Hey, what appealed to you about him joining
the staff? And since he was hired, what has he
done with the edge group to help him along.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Mike's a good team. He's a he's a he's a
very good past rush teacher. He's a excellent teacher that
that breaks fill down, that can explain moves, that can
show guys these moves. He's coached a lot of good
pass rushers, whether they're in a two point stance a
three point stance, they had a certain play style. The
thing I really appreciate about appreciate about Mike is he
can cater to every play style and skill set and
(10:16):
he'll show KC moves and he'll show keon different moves
and one may be better at another one, and so
it's not one size fits all, and he's able to
coach to all those different guys, and I think you'll
see it and have seen it translate to the practice field.
I think the moves and the things that they do
an individual translates to the team. So that's the thing
(10:37):
we want to do is make sure that our drills
translate to the team periods and then ultimately to the games.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Josh McDaniels, the questions you guys.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Josh McDaniels mentioned that some of the offensive coaches were
showing him cut ups the things he wanted to integrate.
I'm curious, how important was it for you to integrate
some of those principles and what is it about maybe
some West Coast things that you wanted to bring here.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
To the land.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I think they are always that you want to have
a very inclusive staff, want to make sure that people
feel comfortable sharing ideas. We understand that not everybody's ideas
is going to get used. And that goes for defense,
that goes for offense. You know, we have to come
together and decide what's best for the football team, and
you know what our players can handle, and again, what
(11:17):
can can marry with what we're already doing, and what
are some some changeups to those things. So I love
the ideas that everybody has been able to bring and
then hopefully we can blend it here in training camp.
There'll be a couple of players for personal reasons, but
other than that, we don't we don't have any holdouts,
(11:39):
if that's what you mean. But there's a couple personal
situations that are going to keep a couple of guys
from being out here. I'm sorry.
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