TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Press Conference 8/11

Here’s what New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had to say ahead of the team’s first joint practice of 2026 against the Colts on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

On the fact the team has completed a couple weeks of training camp practices against each other, and they’re hitting a new phase today with the joint practice and what are he’s looking for from his team:

“Well, hopefully that we can continue to take some strides in what we believe or hope that our identity is going to be, the fundamentals that are critical. Being able to do it against a different team, one that we haven’t game planned against, one that we haven’t seen, one that we have a lot of respect for as a team and what they do. So that we can work together, that we can compete, that we can also take care of each other. These are great opportunities for good reps, for individual reps, for team reps red zone situational work. Good special teams work. So I think it’ll be good for some of our young guys that haven’t seen some of those special teams drills and situations against another player. So we’ve always talked about that as a skill set that may be slightly different than some of the players that they’re seeing that they go against on a daily basis. This will give them a good chance to adjust and try to figure out how to either block them or get open or, whatever it may be on a special team situation.”

On with only one joint practice, if he plans on playing Drake [Maye] Thursday [first exhibition game against the Colts]

“I wouldn’t anticipate seeing Drake out there on Thursday. But that’s all subject to change. That’s kind of where my mindset is right now standing here today. Really, it’s just important that we get the work in and get things accomplished that we’re looking to get accomplished. But that can always change, but I wouldn’t anticipate that happening right now.

On the fact [the media] talked to TreVeyon [Henderson] last week and he said that the game’s slowing down for him and that he feels more patient and he’s seeing it better, and if he’s seen that:

“Yeah, he had a few nice cuts. And again, I think I’ve always said that the best receivers have the ability to play at different speeds and not just be fast all the time, but being able to play at different speeds. And I would say that for a running back with his speed, sometimes it’s important that he kind of sees it. And much like linebackers, that no step is better than a bad step. And I think by understanding the front that is out in front of the run or what it may look like at the beginning, whether there’s movement and then what his adjustment. So I think some of that is starting to slow down for him and being able to see the picture of what it looks like and then potentially what it could look like a couple strides into the run. So he continues to work at it, and the only way to improve at it is to work at it and see it. And he’s getting a lot of different looks from our defense in the run game as well.”

On what he’s seen from Efton [Chism] this offseason:

“Just somebody that continues to work. I mean, he carved out a role last year, made it easy for us to say that we needed him on this football team. I think he’s got a good skill set of being able to get in there and block, but also marry some of that with with some of the run-action passes. He competes. He always takes care of the guy, protects the guy with the ball the best that he can. And I always see him looking to finish when he doesn’t have the football in his hands and continues to make big plays and kind of show up when we need him.”

On the fact he mentioned that Drake [Maye] is likely not going to be playing on Thursday, and if today is the day he sort of looks at players to see how they do against the competition:

“Yeah, I mean, that’s really the only reason that we do these joint practices. It’ll be a lot of the frontline players and whoever’s available. Some of the guys that you know, maybe won’t get as much work today will get extensive work in the game on Thursday. That’s just kind of how it goes. So, but let’s see how today goes and we can always adjust and plan accordingly.”

On the fact that he said this offseason that he was seeking counseling, and what did he learn from that counseling, and how did he balance that personal commitment with getting ready for this season:

“Well, I think we always look at improvement as we talk about getting ready for the next season. We always look at improvement and ways that we can improve individually and how we can improve as a team. And it’s really critical that we continue to do that on and off the field. I believe in that. I believe in everything that we can do to help this football team, to help our coaches, to help myself and everybody else included and how we – this journey that we’re going to go on is going to be completely different than the one we went on last year. And that’s all of our jobs is to prepare for it now.”

“So really focused on our improvement individually and as a team. And that’s something that we can do today. You look at the O-line, and we talk about them and their ability to play together as a unit. There’s so many combination blocks that they’re involved in and we have to be better. And again, 5 O-linemen have to be able to sustain the line of scrimmage and I just walked into that meeting room and said, how do we improve? How do we improve our combination blocks? It’s not asking you to block everybody one-on-one. So I think we all have areas that we can improve on, and that includes the coaches.”

On if that [his counseling] is something that’s going to continue this season:

“We’re going to always try to find ways to prepare and focus on our mental fitness. And that’s going to continue with me, the coaches, the staff. And our players. So I love what Dr. JJ does for our football team and our ability to use that as a resource.”

On if he sees the joint practices can give him a better chance to evaluate his team and the players than the regular practices:

“You probably just get more reps to be able to do it. As far as – we’re going to have probably 24 first-team reps today, and I don’t know if they would get that many in the game. So, I’d say that that’s probably a pretty accurate statement. Outside of live tackling, some cut blocks on the offensive line that you’re not going to see today, that you may see situationally in a game. So as far as the volume, that’s a great way to be able to evaluate them here in a joint practice.”

“But there are also some things that guys have to be able to play. Even pass rushers being able to try to finish on the quarterback. It’s so difficult to work the pass rush and then say, ‘Stay away from the quarterback.’ And then they translate that into the game and have to be able to finish on the quarterback. Running backs have to be able to run through some contact and be able to break some tackles, which I don’t know if we’d necessarily get to see that without being live.”

On the fact tempers sometimes flare up when he has two teams on the field like that, and if there’s a message at all to the team about going into today:

“Well, I mean, we just have to be able to play and make great decisions after the whistle. We don’t want to do anything that puts anybody in jeopardy. We want them to compete. Obviously, there’s going to be some pushing and shoving. I mean, you throw a punch, you just have to head over and run hills or do something with Frank and his crew because, that’s what’s going to happen in the football game. And I don’t anticipate that happening. I want us to play as physical as we can and be as competitive as we can, but also be smart and try to take care of each other and understand that we have to go back and figure out a way to play the next snap because that’s what happens in a game.”

On what his impression is of where the Colts were last year before Daniel Jones suffered that injury, and what are some ways that they can test his defense today:

“Well, hard to evaluate them just from last year before Daniel Jones and everything else. I know they’re a physical football team. They’re well coached. Didn’t have a lot of, I guess, crossover games with them. Didn’t see them a ton. Saw them a little bit multiple on defense. Offensively, it’s a good run football team that will run from good tight ends, multiple tight ends packages, an elite runner. So again, these are all – looking for fundamentals today, looking for the ability to be firm at the line of scrimmage, transition into the pocket when they have their play-action passes and be able to set edges and build walls and then run our third-down package and figure out what the cadence is, figure out how much we can disguise those things. We’ve been going against our offense. Figuring out what their rhythm is on third down and when they want to try to undress the defense and how our disguise looks and everything else.”

On where things stand with Christian Barmore’s availability:

“I would say that he’s going to be only a participant in individual today. Just still trying to get him back, knowing that we have some time and it’s a long season. You know, he’s played a lot of football and he’s played a lot of football for us. Was disruptive for us. We just have to make sure that we’re smart about what we’re doing right now.”

On Tommy DeVito’s performance this summer:

“Two Chains is doing a nice job. He, I think, continues to learn. And with it being a new system, I think it got his attention a little bit better as opposed to saying, ‘Hey, I know what this is and kind of taking it for granted.’ I think it’s— he’s really done a nice job. He did a nice job in the blue-white scrimmage operating and doing things exactly the way that Ashton [Grant] and Josh [McDaniels] are coaching those guys to do it. And we’ll see how he responds today, but excited about where Tommy’s been.”

On Mike, how he expects the Colts to challenge Drake today:

“I’m sure it’s going to be a lot like our defense. There’ll be multiple coverages. There’ll be non-traditional Tampa looks. There’ll be simulated pressures. There’ll be load fronts on third down. But I don’t know. I don’t have— they only give me our calls. They don’t give me their calls.”

On when he was a player, if he thinks his team could have done a cooperative event with the Colts like they’re doing today:

“Well, that’s probably a little different being in the division or being so closely tied to that football team. I think you have to just be smart on the teams that you pick and figure out how you work together. And [we] played this team 12 times when I was in Tennessee and got a lot of respect for them.”

On if there’s any update on Harold Landry:

“Continuing to improve. But again, I don’t think we want to rush anything. Harold stays locked in and what we’re doing in our defense. And just again, want to give him every opportunity that he can to get back and feel good and feel confident before we start his clock and take him off of the PUP list.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This transcript was done based on the available footage and is subject to typographical errors. If you spot anything, please let me know in the comments below.)

About Ian Logue

Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.

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