Frustrated Vrabel Clears Bench in Fourth, Hints at Potential Changes for Struggling Patriots

I (have to) get guys in there to do the things the way that we need them done, said the New England coach after Sunday's loss in Jacksonville

by Hector Longo

Sep 27, 2026

Mike Vrabel vs Jacksonville Jaguars

Melina Myers-Imagn Images

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel will be the first to tell you: In the National Football League, character matters … a lot.

As a player, Vrabel, a huge piece of New England’s first three Super Bowl titles, oozed it.

Sunday afternoon in Jacksonville, Vrabel’s football team exhibited little, if any, of it in the 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Lawrence kneels on purpose

The low point of the season so far and basically Vrabel’s coaching reign in New England came on Sunday.

With just under nine minutes to play and the Jaguars leading comfortably at 28-6, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence took off on a 15-yard scramble.

It should have been 16 and a touchdown, but Lawrence chose to surrender himself and take a knee at the 1. The assumption is that Lawrence believed with four downs from the 1 his team would still get in, and they could run some clock in the process.

Clearly, that burned at Vrabel, who took a timeout to let his defense know about it.

The fact that the defense – on the next play – allowed Bhayshul Tuten to walk into the end zone is something that Vrabel certainly took note of.

Vrabel’s patience being tested

Since joining the Patriots, Vrabel has been a players’ coach. He’s not the type of coach who spends time undressing his players on the sidelines.

When Drake Maye came off after his second interception, just a poor choice to throw at Travis Hunter in the end zone, he got the patented Vrabel pat on the back.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) loses the ball on a fumble turnover during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

When Cameron Latu jumped on a first down, getting a five-yard flag, or Mack Hollins got a 15-yard taunting call for a catch with the Patriots down, 28-3, there was no outburst from Vrabel.

But he’s not happy with his team’s response. And he emptied his bench in the fourth, pulling every starter he could out of the game early.

Clearly, he’s not happy

Afterwards, his words were subtle, but telling. Change could be coming.

“We have to get it fixed. We have to practice. We have to work to get it corrected, and everybody else has to do much better, and it starts with me,” said Vrabel. “That’s how it goes. It starts with me, and I (have to) get guys in there to do the things the way that we need them done.”