Patriots Mike Vrabel Receives Game Ball From Drake Maye After Win

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 3:55 PM

patriots mike vrabel receives game ball from drake maye after win

Sunday's win in Tennessee was an important one for the Patriots. Not only did the 31-13 victory see New England maintain its first-place lead in the AFC East—and Drake Maye breaking franchise records once held by Tom Brady—but it also allowed coach Mike Vrabel to... That's why, in the locker room after the win, the coach was awarded a game ball by his franchise quarterback while trying to break the team down. "One sec, one sec," Maye jumped in as Vrabel walked away from the huddle. "For coach and all Tennessee coaches. Coach Vrabel, we love playing for you.

Glad you're our head coach. We love you, coach." Check out the awesome moment here, at about the 0:35 second mark in the below video: New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was given the game ball by his quarterback, Drake Maye, following Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans, and he appreciated the honor, as he noted in a radio... Sunday marked Vrabel’s return to Tennessee for the first time since the 2023 season. The Patriots were able to dominate on both sides of the football and pick up their fifth win of the year.

It was quite the win for a team that is quickly finding its stride. Vrabel did not want to make his return to Tennessee about himself, but he was genuinely happy to receive the game ball from Maye. "He did. He did. And again, I appreciate it," Vrabel said on Maye giving him a game ball. "Happy that they can see success, and they can feel it.

They're excited. A lot of great personal achievements, and most importantly, the team achievements." The combination of Maye and Vrabel, along with the return of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, is a major reason why the Patriots are sitting at 5-2. Send this article to your social connections. Send this article to your social connections. Mike Vrabel and the Patriots locker room celebration: Following another Patriots win, the team released footage from its latest postgame locker room celebration.

The 31-13 defeat of the Titans was notable for New England’s first-year head coach, Mike Vrabel, as it was the same team that fired him in 2024. As much as Vrabel tried to downplay the circumstances beforehand, it was clear that his players weren’t going to let the moment pass by unacknowledged after the fact. Vrabel started the postgame address to his team with a credit to their mentality while playing away from Gillette Stadium. The New England Patriots went down to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. It marked a return to the city for Mike Vrabel, who was fired after six seasons as the team’s head coach. Vrabel was asked about his return multiple times during the week and both teams were interested to see how it would play out.

Ultimately, Vrabel got the last laugh as his Patriots left Nashville with a dominant 31-13 win, and it could have been much worse. The Patriots gained 387 total yards of offense and Drake Maye was pretty much perfect. The young quarterback completed 21 of his 23 pass attempts for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Rhamondre Stevenson had his best game of the season, rushing 18 times for 88 yards and one score. On defense, the unit held the Titans to 255 total yards and just 39 net rushing yards. The Titans also converted just three of 10 third down tries turned the ball over twice.

Several players could have received a game ball for this performance, but Maye had his own idea. Just as Vrabel finished giving his postgame speech, Maye jumped in to make sure his coach was recognized. The New England Patriots’ postgame locker room was filled with emotion on Sunday as rookie quarterback Drake Maye surprised head coach Mike Vrabel with the game ball following a dominant win over the Tennessee... [Video link (the original post has since been deleted/private)]. Vrabel brought his new Patriots back to the stadium where he once coached, just six days after the 1-6 Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan. It was a memorable game thanks to his players.

During his tenure with the Titans, Vrabel won NFL Coach of the Year and guided the team to consistent postseason trips. He downplayed the game’s emotional significance in public.. But his players clearly understood what this matchup meant. The Patriots’ offense hummed with rhythm and balance, and their defense never allowed Tennessee to find any momentum. But the defining moment came after the game. As Vrabel addressed his team in the locker room, praising their effort and reminding them that “there’s so much better football to be played,” Maye interrupted this time to honor his coach.

Handing over the game ball, Maye told Vrabel: Mike Vrabel, head coach of the New England Patriots, received a game ball from quarterback Drake Maye after the team’s 31-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans, his former team. Vrabel, who was let go from the Titans after a 6-11 season in 2023, expressed gratitude for his new role, emphasizing the team's potential for improvement. Under Vrabel, the Patriots have surprised many with a 5-2 start, marking their win with a strong offensive and defensive performance. The Titans, meanwhile, continue to struggle, holding a 1-6 record and facing leadership changes following the firing of coach Brian Callahan. The Patriots will look to build on their success, aiming to refine their game further and maximize their performance potential.

The Titans are expected to face challenges with their interim coach as they attempt to salvage their season. As the Patriots continue to rise, Vrabel's leadership is proving vital, showcasing that the team's best is yet to come, while the Titans must navigate a tough rebuilding phase. The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. There were a lot of subplots leading into the New England Patriots' trip to Nashville to take on the Titans.

The now 1-6 Tennessee Titans fired their head coach, Brian Callahan, on Monday after a dismal start to the season. Six days later, the man who reshaped their franchise by getting them to an AFC Championship and winning a Coach of the Year award, only to be fired, would return. Week 7 was a revenge game of sorts for Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. It was the kind of game that any player or coach would brush off in the press, not to add fuel to the fire, but everyone knows that Vrabel would secretly hope his team... Quarterback Drake Maye had himself an afternoon, going 21 of 23 for 222 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, and he even rushed for 66 yards (43 of which were in the first... One would think that in the post-game locker room speech, Maye would get the game ball for another impressive Sunday afternoon.

Turns out the team had a plot twist to throw at their coach. The New England Patriots went out on Sunday and gave it their all, doing what they could to secure a tough divisional win over the Miami Dolphins. And that they did. But Drake Maye helped make the moment extra special for one very important member of the Patriots organization. After taking the knee on the final play of the game, Maye rushed right over to the team’s equipment manager, making sure that the ball was kept safe so it could be given to... Maye wanted to make sure he got the game ball from his first win as head coach of the Patriots.

“I took that football out, the one I (took a knee) there and gave it right Stick our equipment guy, and let coach get that ball,” Maye said. “Said that means a lot and I think it means a lot to him. So it took everybody, but he’s leading the charge and that meant something to do that.” Robert Kraft then handed him the game ball in the locker room, earning a huge cheer from the staff. And he also handed out some game balls to the players who impacted Sunday's game in a huge way. The New England Patriots bounced back from a season-opening loss with a come-from-behind victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Drake Maye made sure to commemorate the occasion with a nice gesture for Mike Vrabel: “It’s awesome, just rallying around coach,” Maye said following the game, per team-provided video. “I know how much he cares about us, how much of a player’s coach he is. I took that football that I kneeled it out with, handed it right to (Preston “Stick” Rogers), our equipment guy, and we’ll get coach that ball… I think it’ll mean a lot to him. It took everybody, but obviously he’s leading the charge and that meant something special.” Vrabel, of course, secured his first victory as the organization’s head coach during the game and probably would have gotten one anyway.

Maye did more than enough to contribute to the momentum-building win, playing perhaps his best game as a professional and totaling three touchdowns and zero interceptions on the afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.

Patriots Mike Vrabel Receives Game Ball From Drake Maye After Win

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