August 25, 2025 • 9 mins
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addresses the media on Monday, August 25, 2025.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's nice. It's like it's on vacation. Hi, Karen, how
are you great as a player?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Did you ever sweat out cutdown day or goes through
what a lot of players are.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Going to be going through tonight. Yeah, I think probably,
you know, early on in my career, I think that
that was something that you know, you're just trying to
earn a role and figure out what it is that
you needed to do to make the roster for the
first few years, I think in Pittsburgh, until you know,
you become an established player, and then I think there's
(00:38):
other conversations that that kind of go on. So have
been through a lot of these things, and like we said,
we try to do them as respectfully and professionally as
we possibly can.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
With learning this new offensive.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well, I think it's continuing to build and grow, and
now we transition into a new new phase of game
planning and looking at a different defense, and and working
through the show team and you know the looks that
they need on a you know, all three phases to
to kind of take the next step here to start
to win. So I think that it's been good and
(01:15):
now it'll be the next challenge here to take the
next step of game planning and understanding how to prepare
early in the week and and and build as the
week goes on. With the new kickoff rules get the NBA,
and you've given any thought when the regular season comes
to whether you'll be thinking about deferring or receiving, Well,
(01:41):
I think that there's other factors that go into that.
But potentially we get to the point where we feel
really good about our ability to return those and then
we could take the ball and want to be aggressive,
just like we did against you know, Washington, and and
you know, being able to establish a you know, an
(02:03):
explosive gain or get our offense started. And again we'll
have to cover him just as well as we as
we return them. But you know, having put a whole
ton of thought, you know, into that and analytically, you know,
we'll see where that ends up being. And kind of
shaking out what have.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
You seen from Martine Mapu took the course the summer
and how he's grown into or roll in this defense.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
He's been you know, been a in practice and in
the game, has been a core special teams player and
you know, has worked at some spots on the inside.
And I think that he's continued to develop. I think
he worked extremely hard when he was was away to
get back in there and to be ready to go.
Uh and and showed us a lot by by getting
(02:46):
ready to go for the Giants game, so clearly shows
that he wants to earn a role and is trying
to do that.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Like I heard you say that you were a little
nervous when you were walking on stage with Morgan Wall
and I'm just wondering what was the most nerve racking
part of that experience.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
I mean, I think probably I just ran out of
word choices. I mean, I don't know if I was
that nervous. I mean, it wasn't like I had to
sing or anything. I just had to not trip or
tackle them.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Out here today?
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Or is the hate pretty much in the barn as
far as the well, there's a lot of decisions that
are still to be made. But you know, I don't know,
you know, the evaluation process has been a large one
a lot of these players, you know, whether we want
to work with them moving forward. That that's kind of
the case here. There's there's those are the decisions when
(03:36):
you get down to it, as you make a roster
and then there's obviously the practice squad player. So a
lot of these players that you see today, However, things
go that that hopefully we'll still be back here.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Ponner so far, and did you expect him when he
was coming in to have the impact on special teams
that he did this preseason?
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I think for a young outside linebacker that hadn't played
it a bunch, I thought he picked it up fairly well.
You know, the the punt sets and and being able
to play in space, and you know then also have
you know, trying to build a role on defense. So
you know, those those young players that when you can
find that they can you know, back up a position,
but also you know, give you some flexibility on special teams.
(04:20):
You know, those they start to help themselves.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Christian Dallas Uh, obviously the position he plays, speed and
conditioning is so important. How long do you think it
might take for him to just get ready to be
electually playing a game.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
He's working hard to get healthy, and I think that's
what I try to remind you guys all the time.
That'll be my stance on injuries, that confident that the
player is working hard and that they're doing what they're
asked to do and once they uh, let's say, recover
from something that they're working through, especially if it's been
in the training camp. If you look at this specific
(04:58):
specific situation, you know, there is some conditioning that's involved.
I think that's probably different for each guy. You know,
in my own personal experience, you can only ride the
bike so long or you know, do do the stair
climber or something. You actually have to come out here,
put pads on, run, uh and get into football conditioning.
(05:18):
So whatever that takes, that that takes. And I've said
that to every player that's not out there with us.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Right now, is still kind of open.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
You don't have that set starting five yet.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Has it become more clear in recent days or are
you still trying.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
To work through that you making anything official, It'll be
the five guys out there with the first group today
and then you know, but but as far as having
a you know, a parade or anything about it, we're
just not going to do that right now and still
want to get some work in today, compete against ourselves
like we talked about, and then come back and finish
the week with you know, starting in on the raiders.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
What do you mean to see.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
From getting your camp is with.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
With the first group, I guess you would say, and
now we're with the second group. What do you need
to see for him to get him back into that equation?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Well, there'll be a rotation. I mean, we're gonna play
a lot of guys on defense. And you know, I mean,
I've had plenty of conversations with Kean and and love
how he works, and and love how he uh competes,
and so you know we're gonna we're gonna need him.
We're gonna need all three of them, four of them,
five of them. However, many guys can can help us
on the edge and affect the affect the quarterback. So
(06:31):
I think when everything's said and done that the snaps
are gonna be pretty pretty even and equal. Like I know,
we talked about Drake before, protecting himself has come up
a lot.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Is there anything you can't do in a non padded practice.
He's obviously not gonna hit to work on that besides
the verbal reminders and conversations.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
I mean, when he runs, either get in the end zone,
get out of bounds, or get on the ground one
of those three things.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
After this for about a month or so, now in camp.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Is there something that you've learned about this team of
this roster for the last month, and maybe you didn't
necessarily know what we're aware of. I think they've tried
to respond to the things that I've asked them to do,
you know, trying to work at different tempos and figure
out how to practice with shells on. I think that's
gotten better. And we had pads on, and whether it
was perfect or not, I felt like it still was
(07:19):
the speed that we needed. And then just the way
that the rules are during the season and at times
during training camp, we have to have shells on, and
we still have to practice with speed and being able
to work on the things that we need to work on.
And I think that they have improved on that. But
you know, whether it was just the little points across
camp where we asked them, hey, this is a new
(07:41):
thing for us, Hey let's focus on this. Let's try
to you know, you be ready to go for when
the Redskins come in here, or you know, let's let's
be ready to go when our first preseason game. All
these things that I've asked them to do, I think
they've tried to do.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Indication you said you wanted to remove the sets of
entitlement when you came here. Is that a sense have
you gotten the impression that by doing those things, they're
meeting you where you want them to, they're doing that.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
I mean, again, I don't maybe look at it necessarily
that in that sense. I guess just the idea of
the things that we do, and we want to treat
them the same way that they treat the team. It's
something that we feel strongly about. And I would say
that there's a lot of guys that care about the
(08:30):
team and you know, trying to earn a role and
help us win.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
A player or two that you've been particularly for us
or their development, any talking that you came in until now.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
There would be more than one or two. And I'm
not big on singling guys out, So I think that
they're all trying to work hard, and you know, I
think there'll be a time for that. I don't know.
I'm gonna meet with you guys inside, whether it's on
the field or inside, I'm still gonna meet with you plenty.
So I don't know how you try to pref is
that like, well, this is the last time you're gonna
meet with us on the Hill, So can you? You
(09:06):
guys get to watch Stretch and Indie.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
How would you break most of the rap music that
we hear is rap music hip hop music? How would
you grade the music you want? Country today?
Speaker 1 (09:20):
I can make that happen easily. I think the music
is good. I mean, I don't complain, it's you know,
good music, bad music. No, I'm I'm. I can go
in any direction, usually loud and something that I remotely
know would help. But you guys want any request, we
(09:41):
can certainly have that happen. Appreciate you guys. Thanks,
It's nice. It's like it's on vacation. Hi, Karen, how
are you great as a player?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Did you ever sweat out cutdown day or goes through
what a lot of players are.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Going to be going through tonight. Yeah, I think probably,
you know, early on in my career, I think that
that was something that you know, you're just trying to
earn a role and figure out what it is that
you needed to do to make the roster for the
first few years, I think in Pittsburgh, until you know,
you become an established player, and then I think there's
(00:38):
other conversations that that kind of go on. So have
been through a lot of these things, and like we said,
we try to do them as respectfully and professionally as
we possibly can.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
With learning this new offensive.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well, I think it's continuing to build and grow, and
now we transition into a new new phase of game
planning and looking at a different defense, and and working
through the show team and you know the looks that
they need on a you know, all three phases to
to kind of take the next step here to start
to win. So I think that it's been good and
(01:15):
now it'll be the next challenge here to take the
next step of game planning and understanding how to prepare
early in the week and and and build as the
week goes on. With the new kickoff rules get the NBA,
and you've given any thought when the regular season comes
to whether you'll be thinking about deferring or receiving, Well,
(01:41):
I think that there's other factors that go into that.
But potentially we get to the point where we feel
really good about our ability to return those and then
we could take the ball and want to be aggressive,
just like we did against you know, Washington, and and
you know, being able to establish a you know, an
(02:03):
explosive gain or get our offense started. And again we'll
have to cover him just as well as we as
we return them. But you know, having put a whole
ton of thought, you know, into that and analytically, you know,
we'll see where that ends up being. And kind of
shaking out what have.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
You seen from Martine Mapu took the course the summer
and how he's grown into or roll in this defense.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
He's been you know, been a in practice and in
the game, has been a core special teams player and
you know, has worked at some spots on the inside.
And I think that he's continued to develop. I think
he worked extremely hard when he was was away to
get back in there and to be ready to go.
Uh and and showed us a lot by by getting
(02:46):
ready to go for the Giants game, so clearly shows
that he wants to earn a role and is trying
to do that.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Like I heard you say that you were a little
nervous when you were walking on stage with Morgan Wall
and I'm just wondering what was the most nerve racking
part of that experience.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
I mean, I think probably I just ran out of
word choices. I mean, I don't know if I was
that nervous. I mean, it wasn't like I had to
sing or anything. I just had to not trip or
tackle them.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Out here today?
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Or is the hate pretty much in the barn as
far as the well, there's a lot of decisions that
are still to be made. But you know, I don't know,
you know, the evaluation process has been a large one
a lot of these players, you know, whether we want
to work with them moving forward. That that's kind of
the case here. There's there's those are the decisions when
(03:36):
you get down to it, as you make a roster
and then there's obviously the practice squad player. So a
lot of these players that you see today, However, things
go that that hopefully we'll still be back here.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Ponner so far, and did you expect him when he
was coming in to have the impact on special teams
that he did this preseason?
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I think for a young outside linebacker that hadn't played
it a bunch, I thought he picked it up fairly well.
You know, the the punt sets and and being able
to play in space, and you know then also have
you know, trying to build a role on defense. So
you know, those those young players that when you can
find that they can you know, back up a position,
but also you know, give you some flexibility on special teams.
(04:20):
You know, those they start to help themselves.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Christian Dallas Uh, obviously the position he plays, speed and
conditioning is so important. How long do you think it
might take for him to just get ready to be
electually playing a game.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
He's working hard to get healthy, and I think that's
what I try to remind you guys all the time.
That'll be my stance on injuries, that confident that the
player is working hard and that they're doing what they're
asked to do and once they uh, let's say, recover
from something that they're working through, especially if it's been
in the training camp. If you look at this specific
(04:58):
specific situation, you know, there is some conditioning that's involved.
I think that's probably different for each guy. You know,
in my own personal experience, you can only ride the
bike so long or you know, do do the stair
climber or something. You actually have to come out here,
put pads on, run, uh and get into football conditioning.
(05:18):
So whatever that takes, that that takes. And I've said
that to every player that's not out there with us.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Right now, is still kind of open.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
You don't have that set starting five yet.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Has it become more clear in recent days or are
you still trying.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
To work through that you making anything official, It'll be
the five guys out there with the first group today
and then you know, but but as far as having
a you know, a parade or anything about it, we're
just not going to do that right now and still
want to get some work in today, compete against ourselves
like we talked about, and then come back and finish
the week with you know, starting in on the raiders.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
What do you mean to see.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
From getting your camp is with.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
With the first group, I guess you would say, and
now we're with the second group. What do you need
to see for him to get him back into that equation?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Well, there'll be a rotation. I mean, we're gonna play
a lot of guys on defense. And you know, I mean,
I've had plenty of conversations with Kean and and love
how he works, and and love how he uh competes,
and so you know we're gonna we're gonna need him.
We're gonna need all three of them, four of them,
five of them. However, many guys can can help us
on the edge and affect the affect the quarterback. So
(06:31):
I think when everything's said and done that the snaps
are gonna be pretty pretty even and equal. Like I know,
we talked about Drake before, protecting himself has come up
a lot.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Is there anything you can't do in a non padded practice.
He's obviously not gonna hit to work on that besides
the verbal reminders and conversations.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
I mean, when he runs, either get in the end zone,
get out of bounds, or get on the ground one
of those three things.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
After this for about a month or so, now in camp.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Is there something that you've learned about this team of
this roster for the last month, and maybe you didn't
necessarily know what we're aware of. I think they've tried
to respond to the things that I've asked them to do,
you know, trying to work at different tempos and figure
out how to practice with shells on. I think that's
gotten better. And we had pads on, and whether it
was perfect or not, I felt like it still was
(07:19):
the speed that we needed. And then just the way
that the rules are during the season and at times
during training camp, we have to have shells on, and
we still have to practice with speed and being able
to work on the things that we need to work on.
And I think that they have improved on that. But
you know, whether it was just the little points across
camp where we asked them, hey, this is a new
(07:41):
thing for us, Hey let's focus on this. Let's try
to you know, you be ready to go for when
the Redskins come in here, or you know, let's let's
be ready to go when our first preseason game. All
these things that I've asked them to do, I think
they've tried to do.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Indication you said you wanted to remove the sets of
entitlement when you came here. Is that a sense have
you gotten the impression that by doing those things, they're
meeting you where you want them to, they're doing that.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
I mean, again, I don't maybe look at it necessarily
that in that sense. I guess just the idea of
the things that we do, and we want to treat
them the same way that they treat the team. It's
something that we feel strongly about. And I would say
that there's a lot of guys that care about the
(08:30):
team and you know, trying to earn a role and
help us win.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
A player or two that you've been particularly for us
or their development, any talking that you came in until now.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
There would be more than one or two. And I'm
not big on singling guys out, So I think that
they're all trying to work hard, and you know, I
think there'll be a time for that. I don't know.
I'm gonna meet with you guys inside, whether it's on
the field or inside, I'm still gonna meet with you plenty.
So I don't know how you try to pref is
that like, well, this is the last time you're gonna
meet with us on the Hill, So can you? You
(09:06):
guys get to watch Stretch and Indie.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
How would you break most of the rap music that
we hear is rap music hip hop music? How would
you grade the music you want? Country today?
Speaker 1 (09:20):
I can make that happen easily. I think the music
is good. I mean, I don't complain, it's you know,
good music, bad music. No, I'm I'm. I can go
in any direction, usually loud and something that I remotely
know would help. But you guys want any request, we
(09:41):
can certainly have that happen. Appreciate you guys. Thanks,
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