Head Coach Mike Vrabel 1/27: "We are going to have to be really good in all phases"

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

Hey, guys.

SPEAKER_2 (0:01)

How are you?

Mike Vrabel (0:03)

Karen gets stuck in the snow.

Real quick here before, so if I'm going to give you a minute to think of a question, but I just want to thank a lot of people here for helping us get here. Obviously, Robert and Jonathan for the support that they showed us from the time that I got here through free agency. And, you know, we're excited to finish up this chapter here and move into a new building. You know, just have a lot of excitement there. You know, as we get back, just the Foxboro Fire Department, you know, these guys all jacked up on top of their trucks and the excitement there. I mean, just look at our parking attendants. I mean, we came back and there's a bunch of snow and we're worried about starting our cars and getting everything cleaned off and our cars are cleaned off. And I can't thank those people enough for what they do. Our staff, to get our coaches prepared, our coaches to get our players prepared, our training room, just everybody involved with this thing. But obviously, the players would thank them. And I know that they're excited, you know, to get us to get us this next, this next game. And just the work that they're going to put in here this week, I think we have a good plan for them. We're excited about it and it'll be a huge challenge and it'll be a huge test. So, what do you got, Soph?

SPEAKER_4 (1:27)

Just, I know the radio, you were asked about Jerry Dilley's shoulder injury today. I'm just curious, is that kind of something that's been maybe blown a little bit out of proportion on social media?

Mike Vrabel (1:34)

Probably. And here's what I'm going to start saying about this radio show. This is like, the Miranda writes, I can't, there's nothing that I can say on there that can be used against me when I come back in here. So going forward, that's what we're going to have to say. Like that's, those are like free interviews. I'm in there, we're doing breakfast shots and you know, but I think that everybody, and including Drake, is not 100% at this part of the year. And you know, we'll do everything that we can to help our players be prepared and get ready for this game.

SPEAKER_5 (2:08)

Like what's your week like with the players? What do you want from them and what's the experience have?

Mike Vrabel (2:14)

Yeah, we have to get healthy. You know, I mean, we have to get healthy, you know, stay in the day, I think helped us get a little bit of rest so we didn't get back late or try to sleep on a plane. We'll get moving around tomorrow. They'll lift and run and work out. You know, tomorrow, do some light football drills.

The players will run those. I'll run the conditioning, things like that. And then we'll practice Thursday and Friday. Give an opportunity to, you know, take a day off on Sunday or Saturday and then travel Sunday. Get some movement in, probably a light movement back in the in the weight room before we travel. And then Monday will be like a bonus day, which we've used for coming off of a bi-week to kind of do some drills and some, you know, just some movement. And then Tuesday off, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, just try to keep it like a like a normal week.

SPEAKER_6 (3:14)

Mike, I don't know if you've actually even been asked this directly. Did Drake hurt your shoulder on Sunday?

Mike Vrabel (3:20)

No, I wouldn't say that anybody heard anything. You know, I mean, again, this is a, this is a sport where there's going to be things that come up. And I don't think that there's a, you know, we'll talk about whatever status each player has for the game. Once we're required to, we understand that. But, you know, we were able to to function offensively, throw the football, run the football. So that's kind of where everybody's at.

SPEAKER_2 (3:48)

When does the game plan get installed and presented to the players?

Mike Vrabel (3:56)

I mean, I think that that's something that happens this week. That's something that happens next week. I think there's a lot of preparation. I think you want to try to avoid doing too much too early. And then also, how do you keep their attention next week and focused and locked in? So I think we have a good balance.

Coaches have been a good resource. Josh has been a good resource. Obviously, he's coached in these with the extended break. So there's just trying to find that sweet spot of doing enough here, but then also, you know, still having stuff out there that will keep them engaged.