August 8, 2025 • 8 mins
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addresses the media on Friday, August 8, 2025.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, how are you guys carrying you up this late?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Hey, how are you present?
Speaker 3 (00:09):
I'm good. I'm guessing you don't want us to make
any bus for Canton yet. For Trivion Henderson, but I'm
guessing you think he might have gotten off to a
kind of a good Patriots debut today and got the
team rolling well.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
I think that was one of the phases that we
talked that was going to be so critical and it's
hard to really wrap full speed, and we got a
few of them against Washington, and I think we saw
some things that we can improve on, and that's exactly
what we did.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
And I think Travion.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Read it out and hit the hole and everybody else
blocked and you know, finished and did all those good things.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
So it's a step in the right direction.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
And I think it's exciting anytime that you can, you know,
we talk about how critical a phase of the game
is going to be and the time out here and
be able to work on it.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Mike, it looked like Efton Chisholm got off to a
good start tonight. What did you see from him that
maybe stood out well?
Speaker 4 (01:07):
I think his place, his play strength stood out to
me just on from the sideline. I think this the
way that he blocks, and you know, his ability to
to catch the ball in traffic.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
The ball was you know, basically tipped or bobbled, you mean.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Coming out of Ben's hand and kind of ran through
a tackle and ran through contact and then we threw
him the screen. So those are all positive things. I
think his his play strength to me is what stood
out and wrote from the back Michaeh just thought on
Drake's performance, and I'm sure the turnover probably annoyed you,
uh with with what he did. Are you asking and
(01:40):
answering or your thought is that I got you your thoughts.
I would say you about summed it up that that
that that's a that's a bad decision.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
You know.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I think we're gonna need better from him, and I
think he knows that, and that's that's obvious. So you know,
wasn't there and you know, we just have to be
able to find a way to get rid of the
football or take a sack and punt and play defense.
But to the defense's credit, they you know, forced the
field goal. I think that was missed maybe, but I
(02:11):
got a couple you know, it was a sudden change opportunity.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
Right over here, Mike DJ James continues to have a
solid summer, just you know, your impression to him in
the interception tonight and then the work he continues to
do for you.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
I think that it's always exciting to see players that
take advantage of opportunities. And since uh DJ was one
of the players that was here for rookie minie Camp,
and I would say that since that day and that weekend,
he's continued to improve and I think he's taken advantage
of that. And so I'm always for players that get
better take coaching.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
It's it's on them obviously to to improve.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
And so that's all to DJ's credit, you know, And
so I'm excited for him that he can put into
work and then start to see it translate onto the field.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Like I can't imagine a lot of instances of you
even going outside the stadium ninety minutes before kickoff, But
how important was it for you to be at the
at Tom ceremony And what was like for you being
that there and quickly getting back into the game mode.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
I think it made it a little easier just because
it was you know, it's a preseason game and there's
maybe probably not as much going on. I mean, there's
still the schedule and everything and meeting with the officials
and the team and the coaches. But I mean, it
was always important for me to be out there, and
you know, I thought you saw the amount of people
that were there to support them, people on the commander's side,
(03:42):
former teammates. You know, just having somebody like that be
a part of this organization pretty unique, pretty special.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
So glad that I was able to be a part
of it for a little bit.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
Wrong, Hi, Mike, I'm curious with Will Campbell and Jared Wilson.
I'm curious how you thought they did on the left
side tonight, just with because it seemed like on the
fumble that they might have missed that block, but at
the same time, Will Campbell and they were pushing guys forward,
So just how you thought they did overall?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
I mean, I think the play demeanor showed, and you know,
I think that there was a game maybe that you know,
a pass rush game it looked like to me, and
those are something that will continue to work hard on.
We were able to pick him up in the practice.
They ran a few of them over there against us
in practice. We just have to be able to carry
that execution into the game. But you know, I certainly
(04:37):
did see their plate demeanor kind of stand out, and
I think that, you know, that's a good place to start,
is with that and and being downfield and finishing through
the whistle and everything that we we embrace here.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Like we saw Jaylen Pollock leap for the locker room
after the carry. Just curious if there's an update on him. No,
no update right now. He'll get more testing and see
our doctors. And you know, wasn't able to finish the game.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Mike, Obviously, you want to establish consistency in the preseason
and in training camp. So how important is it for
you that on this first game only two penalties for
fifteen yards.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Well, we had a couple that were, you know, really offsetting,
so we still fouled him. It wasn't like we were
really really clean. I thought operationally we were pretty good.
I felt like everybody was on the same page and
substitution and getting in and out.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Of the huddle.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
And they don't huddle, you know, they they sub and
sometimes they stand over it and sometimes they don't. So
I felt like defensively, that was a good challenge for
us to be able to play a game like that
with a team that really doesn't want to huddle, and
but you know, when you can have that many you know,
we had a few kickoff returns and did not have
(06:00):
any penalties there.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
You know, we had the one that was offsetting on
the punt. You know, those are.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Critical because they just there's so much feel position that
gets changed when you have penalties on returns and kickoff returns.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
So it's a good start.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
It's a good start for everything that we were talking about,
and you know, give us some more to coach. We
have to tackle better and you know we'll have to
throw the football better going forward. But you know, I
thought that this was a good place to start a
lot of questions.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Javon Baker made a couple of special teams tackles, and
I thought you were encouraged by that on the sideline.
But is it good to see someone who's trying to
contribute in more than one phase in terms of trying
to make the team.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, I think that that's fantastic when you have players
and especially receivers that can create a role and they
can help you and they can be big and physical
and everything that we see out of Javon as a receiver.
When you can embrace that and they can embrace that
as special teams play you guys that are big and
physical and fast, that and willing, that translates to two
(07:06):
special teams. So excited and you know, just happy for
Javaon just being able to to go out there and contribute.
And when you do those things, your teammates get excited
and you know, hopefully his confidence continues to grow.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Oh, Michael, here you mentioned the passing game is something
you can improve.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
I was wondering. Obviously it's early, but what did you
think contributed to that, whether it was separation.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
I mean, I think the way that the game kind
of unfolded with the kickoff and you know, going for
a touchdown and you know, defensive turnover, and you know,
I felt like we we had some opportunities. Maybe the
ball was batted and I thought we had CJ for
a touchdown there he was open, you know, and then
just the protection I guess on the third down. So
(07:50):
it wasn't like we had a whole lot of opportunities early.
You know, we were able to kind of convert and score,
you know, running the football and then you know, Drake
scrambled right, So again I'm all for him using his
ability to to run, you know when it's there, and
he saw him slide and then he saw him be
able to run in the end zone. So you know,
maybe just kind of how the game unfolded early, we
(08:12):
hit some passes.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Late, I think Ben settled down. I was excited to
see him settle.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Down and you know, hit some passes. And John Giles,
who busts his tail to to block and play special
teams and you know, had a huge catch catch there
and felt everybody played, which I'm excited for. And you know,
we talked about there were some players that didn't get
to play on Wednesday or practice and that they were
gonna get an opportunity on on Friday night, and I
(08:37):
was happy to see them take advantage of it and
proud that.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
They could be excited about it. Thanks guys,
Hey, how are you guys carrying you up this late?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Hey, how are you present?
Speaker 3 (00:09):
I'm good. I'm guessing you don't want us to make
any bus for Canton yet. For Trivion Henderson, but I'm
guessing you think he might have gotten off to a
kind of a good Patriots debut today and got the
team rolling well.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
I think that was one of the phases that we
talked that was going to be so critical and it's
hard to really wrap full speed, and we got a
few of them against Washington, and I think we saw
some things that we can improve on, and that's exactly
what we did.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
And I think Travion.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Read it out and hit the hole and everybody else
blocked and you know, finished and did all those good things.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
So it's a step in the right direction.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
And I think it's exciting anytime that you can, you know,
we talk about how critical a phase of the game
is going to be and the time out here and
be able to work on it.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Mike, it looked like Efton Chisholm got off to a
good start tonight. What did you see from him that
maybe stood out well?
Speaker 4 (01:07):
I think his place, his play strength stood out to
me just on from the sideline. I think this the
way that he blocks, and you know, his ability to
to catch the ball in traffic.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
The ball was you know, basically tipped or bobbled, you mean.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Coming out of Ben's hand and kind of ran through
a tackle and ran through contact and then we threw
him the screen. So those are all positive things. I
think his his play strength to me is what stood
out and wrote from the back Michaeh just thought on
Drake's performance, and I'm sure the turnover probably annoyed you,
uh with with what he did. Are you asking and
(01:40):
answering or your thought is that I got you your thoughts.
I would say you about summed it up that that
that that's a that's a bad decision.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
You know.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I think we're gonna need better from him, and I
think he knows that, and that's that's obvious. So you know,
wasn't there and you know, we just have to be
able to find a way to get rid of the
football or take a sack and punt and play defense.
But to the defense's credit, they you know, forced the
field goal. I think that was missed maybe, but I
(02:11):
got a couple you know, it was a sudden change opportunity.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
Right over here, Mike DJ James continues to have a
solid summer, just you know, your impression to him in
the interception tonight and then the work he continues to
do for you.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
I think that it's always exciting to see players that
take advantage of opportunities. And since uh DJ was one
of the players that was here for rookie minie Camp,
and I would say that since that day and that weekend,
he's continued to improve and I think he's taken advantage
of that. And so I'm always for players that get
better take coaching.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
It's it's on them obviously to to improve.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
And so that's all to DJ's credit, you know, And
so I'm excited for him that he can put into
work and then start to see it translate onto the field.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Like I can't imagine a lot of instances of you
even going outside the stadium ninety minutes before kickoff, But
how important was it for you to be at the
at Tom ceremony And what was like for you being
that there and quickly getting back into the game mode.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
I think it made it a little easier just because
it was you know, it's a preseason game and there's
maybe probably not as much going on. I mean, there's
still the schedule and everything and meeting with the officials
and the team and the coaches. But I mean, it
was always important for me to be out there, and
you know, I thought you saw the amount of people
that were there to support them, people on the commander's side,
(03:42):
former teammates. You know, just having somebody like that be
a part of this organization pretty unique, pretty special.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
So glad that I was able to be a part
of it for a little bit.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
Wrong, Hi, Mike, I'm curious with Will Campbell and Jared Wilson.
I'm curious how you thought they did on the left
side tonight, just with because it seemed like on the
fumble that they might have missed that block, but at
the same time, Will Campbell and they were pushing guys forward,
So just how you thought they did overall?
Speaker 4 (04:15):
I mean, I think the play demeanor showed, and you know,
I think that there was a game maybe that you know,
a pass rush game it looked like to me, and
those are something that will continue to work hard on.
We were able to pick him up in the practice.
They ran a few of them over there against us
in practice. We just have to be able to carry
that execution into the game. But you know, I certainly
(04:37):
did see their plate demeanor kind of stand out, and
I think that, you know, that's a good place to start,
is with that and and being downfield and finishing through
the whistle and everything that we we embrace here.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Like we saw Jaylen Pollock leap for the locker room
after the carry. Just curious if there's an update on him. No,
no update right now. He'll get more testing and see
our doctors. And you know, wasn't able to finish the game.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Mike, Obviously, you want to establish consistency in the preseason
and in training camp. So how important is it for
you that on this first game only two penalties for
fifteen yards.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Well, we had a couple that were, you know, really offsetting,
so we still fouled him. It wasn't like we were
really really clean. I thought operationally we were pretty good.
I felt like everybody was on the same page and
substitution and getting in and out.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Of the huddle.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
And they don't huddle, you know, they they sub and
sometimes they stand over it and sometimes they don't. So
I felt like defensively, that was a good challenge for
us to be able to play a game like that
with a team that really doesn't want to huddle, and
but you know, when you can have that many you know,
we had a few kickoff returns and did not have
(06:00):
any penalties there.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
You know, we had the one that was offsetting on
the punt. You know, those are.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Critical because they just there's so much feel position that
gets changed when you have penalties on returns and kickoff returns.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
So it's a good start.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
It's a good start for everything that we were talking about,
and you know, give us some more to coach. We
have to tackle better and you know we'll have to
throw the football better going forward. But you know, I
thought that this was a good place to start a
lot of questions.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Javon Baker made a couple of special teams tackles, and
I thought you were encouraged by that on the sideline.
But is it good to see someone who's trying to
contribute in more than one phase in terms of trying
to make the team.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, I think that that's fantastic when you have players
and especially receivers that can create a role and they
can help you and they can be big and physical
and everything that we see out of Javon as a receiver.
When you can embrace that and they can embrace that
as special teams play you guys that are big and
physical and fast, that and willing, that translates to two
(07:06):
special teams. So excited and you know, just happy for
Javaon just being able to to go out there and contribute.
And when you do those things, your teammates get excited
and you know, hopefully his confidence continues to grow.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Oh, Michael, here you mentioned the passing game is something
you can improve.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
I was wondering. Obviously it's early, but what did you
think contributed to that, whether it was separation.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
I mean, I think the way that the game kind
of unfolded with the kickoff and you know, going for
a touchdown and you know, defensive turnover, and you know,
I felt like we we had some opportunities. Maybe the
ball was batted and I thought we had CJ for
a touchdown there he was open, you know, and then
just the protection I guess on the third down. So
(07:50):
it wasn't like we had a whole lot of opportunities early.
You know, we were able to kind of convert and score,
you know, running the football and then you know, Drake
scrambled right, So again I'm all for him using his
ability to to run, you know when it's there, and
he saw him slide and then he saw him be
able to run in the end zone. So you know,
maybe just kind of how the game unfolded early, we
(08:12):
hit some passes.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Late, I think Ben settled down. I was excited to
see him settle.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
Down and you know, hit some passes. And John Giles,
who busts his tail to to block and play special
teams and you know, had a huge catch catch there
and felt everybody played, which I'm excited for. And you know,
we talked about there were some players that didn't get
to play on Wednesday or practice and that they were
gonna get an opportunity on on Friday night, and I
(08:37):
was happy to see them take advantage of it and
proud that.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
They could be excited about it. Thanks guys,
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