Patriots must transition from hunter to hunted
“We are the team that’s being hunted,” cornerback Marcus Jones mentioned Friday after veterans reported for camp. “We have to wear that chip on our shoulders every single time that we get out there.”
February’s 29-13 loss to the Seahawks within the Super Bowl ought to present that wanted chip, however Vrabel mentioned his messaging does not change a lot regardless of the 180-degree flip in franchise fortune. His core pillars for the gamers stay the identical regardless of the staff’s file — earn a job, construct the staff, put together to win.
“I think that it’s got to be consistent,” Vrabel mentioned. “We have to be able to build each and every year. We have to start over and figure out the things that we do well, what we like and what the players have confidence in. And we have to be able to push the envelope on some things that we weren’t very good at last year, how we improve and how we build. So, that starts over each and every training camp.”
Still, Vrabel and his veteran leaders have their problem set out this coaching camp. The schedule goes to be more durable, the expectations increased, and the bull’s-eye can be giant on the uniforms.
The Patriots had the worst doable offseason schedule — shorter than different groups’ thanks to the Super Bowl run, however with no trophy to present for it. They want to shake off the frustration of the loss, combat off any complacency that will have set in, and ensure the gamers perceive that final 12 months means nothing in 2026. There are additionally 35 new faces among the many 90 in coaching camp who want to be taught the brand new Patriot Way.
“There’s some things we can definitely carry over, but there’s some things we’ve got to flush,” tight end Hunter Henry he mentioned. “I think we’re all excited just for this year, and not really worried about last year. If you’re not motivated every year, you’re not going to make it in this league long.”
The Patriots aren’t attempting to utterly flush the 2025 season. There was clearly loads to be happy with, and the Super Bowl loss offered useful classes, as did the victories.
“We learned how to win,” Vrabel mentioned. “But the journey that we’re getting ready to go on, it’s not always going to be smooth sailing. I would love to say we’re going to win 10 games in a row, I don’t know if that’s going to happen, but there’s going to be things on the field that we’re going to have to deal with. There’s going to be things off the field personally, professionally. That’s what we do, and we’re going to start tomorrow by building, then teaching, and then going out the next day and making sure that we get it fixed.”
Linebacker Robert Spillane said the Super Bowl loss still pains him, and his hunger level is “at an all-time high.”
“It makes you second-guess everything you’ve done, and it makes you look for a little bit more of an edge,” Spillane said. “It was laborious for me. It was nearly like a darkish place — you felt such as you let it slip via your palms. You’ve bought to preserve going ahead. No one feels unhealthy that you just made it to the Super Bowl and misplaced. It’s our job to get again to the place we wish to get to, and we’re going to try this via laborious work.”
The starting of coaching camp additionally means rising the depth across the new football facility.
“It was enjoyable to be across the youthful guys for a couple of days. It was enjoyable to get the teaching employees again collectively,” Vrabel said. “But now, we’ve got the bulk of the team that will be out there tomorrow, and that pace and their urgency has to look much different than it did in the spring… I’m confident that it will.”
Ben Volin could be reached at ben.volin@globe.com.
