New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel and select players comment on their game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
New England Patriots
HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Q. I'm guessing you might be pleased with the finish and kind of taking care of business before heading into the postseason.
MV: Yeah, and I think there was a little lull there in the second quarter, but I really appreciate the way that the defense responded after the block to force them to make a long kick, and then the way the offense was able to go back and get Andy into field goal range, and fantastic kick by him.
I tried to ask them to replicate those last two series and that intensity and that execution as we went into the second half, and I think that's what we saw.
Q. What's your initial reaction to learning that you guys will host the Chargers next weekend?
MV: We'll get ready and get rolling and try to do what we do every week, which is prepare and figure out who we have available and what we feel like the keys are going to be and try to practice and be ready to go. That's all we've done all year, and that's all we'll be able to do this week in the playoffs.
Q. Just a thought on Rhamondre today with 131 yards rushing, 22 receiving, three touchdowns. The last three games, seems like especially after contact he's been real good. Just what you've seen from him.
MV: Just building his confidence. I appreciate all of our backs' ability to protect, and Rhamondre does that. I think that goes sometimes unnoticed, and I know that that's not as sexy or exciting as the run game production and the pass receiving, but he cares deeply about this team. I was excited to be able to have him be a game captain for us, and I think he's just continued to get better. He's continued to make people miss and to run hard and still protect the football.
Q. I know you have to review the film, but what did you see from Will Campbell and Milton Williams throughout the week and today in their return?
MV: I mean, I thought that they were okay. I thought that Milton factored a few times. Again, a lot of great efforts out there. I'm not going to single Will or Milton out. I'm sure they did okay.
Q. You end this first season with 14 wins. Just what does it mean for you to have a start like this here?
MV: It means we are the second seed and we're going to host the Chargers, and we start over. The only wins that matter are going to be the ones that we can get moving forward.
Q. To that point, when you stood in this room months ago and said we want to win the division, host playoff games and compete for championships, you're here. I understand the season is not over, but how does that happen in a matter of months?
MV: We got the right guys in the building at the right time, and we got good quarterback play. We figured out how to not beat ourselves. I think we play to an identity, and guys make plays. That's what happens. I'm excited for all those guys that -- again, when you chase wins, usually the production comes along with it, so we need to focus on winning and the efforts that are going to help us win, and in turn you end up with all the plays that you're going to need, and I think you saw that.
Q. I'm just curious, with Rhamondre Stevenson, is there anything you can pinpoint to the turnaround he had towards the second half of the season from the fumbling issues early on to now just kind of dominating on the field?
MV: Just hard work and perseverance. I think Tony and all the offensive coaches do a great job in emphasizing ball security, and I think just him being -- we kind of felt like we got into a little flow with him and TreVeyon and Rhamondre and kind of figuring out where that balance was, and I think that they did a great job. We need them both. We need D'Ernest. But figuring out the balance with Rhamondre and TreVeyon and those guys both taking advantage of the opportunities that they have. I felt like that's a good flow by Josh and Tony calling the game and getting the guys in there.
To the players' credit, they take advantage of the times that they get, the touches that they get.
Q. With that said, how important is it this time of the year to establish that running game and that physical presence heading into the playoffs?
MV: Well, you'd better be able to do that in the tournament, and you'd better be able to take care of the football. You'd better be able to create some turnovers, and you have to have efficient quarterback play. That's no secret. And you're going to have to execute in situations like we did at the end of the half, whether that be at the end of the half or the end of the game to get some points. But that's what it comes down to.
Q. Jack Gibbons forced a fumble, almost had an interception. What has he meant to you this season, specifically since he's had to step into a bigger role without Robert Spillane?
MV: Well, he's always prepared. We talk about playing multiple positions with limited reps, so he's always prepared. Usually in the right place at the right time, and takes coaching, and he's a very instinctive player. Gets everybody lined up. He's a great communicator. He's a great teammate. Excited and happy that we have him.
Q. You called a time-out on the 4th and 1 play in the first half. Was that mainly due to the play clock running out or trying to give yourself the time to check the spot on Hunter's catch?
MV: Probably a little bit of both, making sure that we had the right personnel. We didn't execute the play, so a little bit of that is being able to check the spot, see if it was a little closer. But just didn't execute very well on that particular play.
Q. When you signed Stefon Diggs in the off-season, you probably had an idea of what you wanted to see from him. He goes over 1,000 yards in the year for a seventh time in his career. What have you seen from him in terms of his leadership on and off the field and the performance today?
MV: Very consistent. I mean, he sits where Mike sits every day. He's up front. He's attentive. There's an energy to him. He's been out there. He's been available. He's taking care of his body.
Then the production, I think has been fantastic. I'm glad that we have him.
Q. Turnover differential, how key has that been in the overly aspect of what this team has done?
MV: I mean, it's gotten better, right? We battled back. It wasn't very good. When you have five in one game, you've got plenty to make up. But I felt like there was a conscious effort, and the attempts on defense improved. The ball security, the two in traffic, not relaxing at the sideline, quarterback making great decisions, I think that there was a conscious effort to do that.
In this league when the games are as close as they are, that makes a big difference. We need to still try to affect the football and turn it over defensively. I'm just frustrated with the blocked field goal. We went all 17 weeks, and all we did was become the 38th or 39th blocked field goal in the NFL this year. Appreciate you guys. See you in a couple days.
QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Q. Drake, just a thought on what you guys were able to do. You were here last year; 14 wins, you make the playoffs, you'll host the Chargers here next weekend in a first-round match-up. How excited are you about what you guys were able to accomplish today and all season long?
DM: Yeah, I think we've come a long way. I think it takes everybody. It took everybody in that locker room, took every coach. I think it starts now. This was one of the goals, home playoff games, and this is what we wanted. It's win or go home, and the mentality, nothing changes from that standpoint, but I think we just stay playing like us. We've built this identity and play to it, and I think good things happen.
Q. Drake, do you have any kind of relationship with Justin Herbert, and what do you like about him as a quarterback?
DM: Yeah, I don't know if I've met Justin. I don't think I have. I know him through people and heard great things. Obviously I love his game. I love the way he throws the football. He throws at a really high level. He can make plays on the move, can make plays off platform, can launch it.
I think just the way he holds himself and cares about his teammates, he's really good the team and not about himself, I have a lot of respect for Justin and how he plays the game and plays at a really high level.
Q. In a likely MVP season, I'm interested in what you feel like your greatest accomplishments were this year, whether it's from a statistical standpoint with the QB rating or whatever you were able to accomplish, what stands out to you that you're the most proud of?
DM: Yeah, I think 14 wins. That's the first thing that comes to mind. 14 wins and probably 8-0 on the road. That's probably the thing I'm the most proud of is going on the road eight times and coming out victorious in all of them. So that was pretty cool.
From there, I think just the ability to get a lot of people involved. I think that's one of the best things about our offense. We get a lot of people involved. A lot of people catch and pass, a lot of people scoring touchdowns, a lot of guys making plays at different parts in the game, and I think that's one of the toughest things about ways to defend us. So that's probably what I'm most proud of.
Q. Drake, Christian just mentioned you guys might not even enjoy this one tonight because obviously the playoffs are here next weekend. What was the messaging in the locker room as far as that goes, understanding it's a whole new season? Where is your mind at in that regard?
DM: Yeah, that's what Coach Vrabel just hit on at the end. It's a whole different ballgame. It's win or go home, and that's what -- you lay it all out on the line. This is what you play in the NFL for. Playoff games, playoff games at home and a home crowd. Obviously we have an opponent coming in, and I know they've got some great players. We saw them here last year. They're a good team.
Q. Drake, you guys are up 14-0, everything looked great, then it was 14-10 and things were stumbling a little bit. What made you guys able to find your rhythm again after that and score 24 straight points to end the game?
DM: Yeah, I think it's just staying true to us. I think offense staying on track, getting ahead of the chains. I think the first three-and-out we had, it was three straight incompletions. I've got to find a way to get the ball in people's hands to make some plays and not have three incompletions.
Then from there we had a field goal that got blocked. Just play true to us. It wasn't really something that they were doing. It was just us executing. Played a lot of zone tonight, so just executing our zone, getting good spacing, and finding ways to catch it and get upfield, and from there, our defense made some big plays. Coming out of the half, the interception was huge, and we just didn't stop from there.
Q. How would you describe Rhamondre Stevenson's impact of late and now the opportunity to use him in the passing game the way you have the last few weeks, complementing what TreVeyon is able to do?
DM: Yeah, he's a tough back. He can move. He's agile. He's got a little two-foot jump cut that I just love watching on film. He just makes people miss like that. He's got great hands. He's smart. He blocks in protection unbelievable this year. He always tells me I owe him something. I really do; I do owe him something. He's done a great job. From there, we're trying to have backs that can do in in all three phases, running the football, catching the football and blocking, and I think him and TreVeyon have done a great job of that. Obviously we missed AG, but AG is another one. So having three backs that can do that, and Rhamondre -- you guys see him around here. He's as cool as can be and calm and chill, and he's a great player in this league.
Q. You mentioned the 14 wins being the accomplishment that you seized on the most. This team won four games last year. It won four the year before that. How did this happen? How did this transformation happen so quickly?
DM: Yeah, I think it starts from the top down, I think from Kraft to them deciding to hire Coach Vrabel to kind of bringing him in here and really just buying into what he was coaching us hard and coaching us to believe in. I think from there, it's us players -- got some new players in here, some new faces. I think that the organization has really gelled well together. We enjoy being around these guys. I know a lot of the defensive guys well and enjoy being around them. I don't think it's really any me, me, me. I think the most me, me, me you saw this year was us getting some guys some incentives out there tonight. I think that was probably the most. That's just something that they've earned. I think from there, everybody pulls for each other. We're trying to get off the sideline to pump each other up, and it's always -- it's never a doubt in belief in what this team can do, and it works all three phases. We have a lot of belief in each other, and we hang out and enjoy being around each other.
Q. Speaking of incentives, Stefon Diggs hit an incentive for going over 1,000 receiving yards this season. I asked him about it, but I'm curious, for a guy who's coming back from an ACL injury to now have the season he's had, just what has his impact on this team meant to you personally and just what has he shown throughout this season to be able to reach this accomplishment?
DM: Yeah, first off, credit to Stef for his ability to bounce back and heal up from an injury like that in such a short period of time. Really since I time I met him, first time I met him, the receivers got together in the off-season, and invited him thinking, we'll see, who knows. Stef is big time, if he'll show up, and he showed up and was running routes back home in North Carolina, and kind of from that point on, I felt like, man, looking forward to getting with him on the field and seeing him do his thing, and he's done his thing time and time again. Some games he's not getting the ball as much as any receiver would want to, and he's still trying to block hard and keeps the energy up and breaking the team down and motivating me. I think he's meant the world to me, and I appreciate every time I go out there with him and a player like him. I just don't take that for granted. Looking forward to seeing him in playoff football.
ADDITIONAL PATRIOTS PLAYERS
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