Patriots Player & Coach AudioPatriots Introduce 2025 Free Agents to the Media | Full Press Conference
Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf, Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel, Carlton Davis III, Morgan Moses, Robert Spillane, and Milton Williams address the media on Thursday, March 13, 2025.
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Oh welcome everyone, Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us today. We're here to discuss the free Asian acquisitions we've made and to introduce you to these players who have signed their contract today. And I just personally, I'm very excited about what's coming. And I've been told I should calm down.
But.
I'd be remiss if I didn't first acknowledge a departure. Today we released our two time Super Bowl champion and one of my favorite players ever to come through our locker room, David Andrews. David's been an integral part of the Patriots for the past decade, including the past eight years. He was a captain of the team, and he was just not a leader in the locker room, but he was an outstanding individual in the community and very special on a personal level. I was able to spend time with him him with David and his incredible wife McKenzie on a trip to the Holy Land and really got to know them very well five or six years ago, and just a very special guy. And it's the hot part of this business when you have to release people. But as we look ahead and continue to build for the future, we've made some wonderful key additions to this team and I'm happy to welcome them to the Patriot family and actually looking forward to see the impact they're going to have, hopefully.
On game day.
We are committed, We are really committed to build a team which all of our fans can be proud of. I was saying to one of the players, you know, I sat for the thirty odd years and went to the four stadiums and came here in seventy one. That was the first time about season tickets, and really, you know, appreciate how special this team is. And I've been so honored to be able to buy an NFL team in my hometown, and so I understand what the fans want. And I'll just tell you I'm very excited about the people we've brought in here, and I just hope we really perform come when the season starts. So I'm gonna ask Elliott to come and discuss the players who have signed, and then Mike and the players will be available as well for any questions afterwards.
So Elliott, do you want to.
Well, just to echo Robert, this is an exciting time, you know, for exciting players that we've signed are here. Harold Lander was here yesterday. We've got some guys coming in tomorrow. Josh Dobbs is coming in, Mac Hollins, Jalen Hawkins, Austin Hooper, and Kyrie's Tonga. And there's still more work to be done. Obviously, we're not finished. We still have some more needs to fill. Just wanted to echo Robert again and say thank you to David Andrews for everything, as well as Dietrich Wise, Jonathan Jones, Jacobe Brissette who have moved on and for all their contributions last year and over the years. Wanted to thank Ownership for all their unwavering support, you know, anything we needed the whole time. They've been nothing but supportive to us working with the coaching staff. You know, it's difficult for a coaching staff to come in. They're putting in new schemes, getting to know each other, work together, and you know, they've all all the free agents. I mean they've been over backwards for the personnel department to identify the free agents and other guys on teams that have.
Been able to help us.
Thank you, Thank you to the pro scouting staff, Richard Miller, Nancy Meyer. Matt grow has taking a bigger role in the contract negotiation world and he really excelled this year so far on that and we expect that to continue. And with that being said, just want to discuss the four guys that are here, Milton Williams, Morgan Moses, Robert Spallane, CD, Carlton Davis, you know, just just guys that we've targeted over the years, veterans, professionals. There was definitely an emphasis on on good people, good players, culture changers, difference makers, and I think these four guys really exemplify that as well as Harold Landry, who was here yesterday and he had to return to his family vacation. So you know, starting over here CD. I was in Cleveland when CD came out in the draft.
I tried really really hard.
To get us to pick him, and you know, got vetoed on that one. But ever since then have followed his career, you know, when he's been available, every time we've tried to get him, and now we finally were able to make that happen. So I'm excited about that. Robert just a tremendous story. Mini camp tryout in with the Tennessee Titans, didn't have a free agent contract after the draft, made the team practice squad starter, and then you know, had over one hundred and forty tackles each of the last two seasons. Morgan Moses has been a right tackle since the moment he was drafted.
Has played.
You know, a ton of starts, physical, tough, just a professional, very consistent run game, pass game, all that. And then Milton Williams, you know, really has come on in the.
Last couple of years.
Here.
Excited about what he can do for us on the interior of the defensive line, you know, pass, rush, run, defense, and all these guys again are just tremendous workers and we couldn't be more excited that they're joining our team and what's moving forward here. So with that being said, you would like to introduce coach Rabel, and he's got some remarks as well, So I appreciate.
That, appreciate that, Elliott.
I want to thank Robert and Jonathan's not able to be here today, but I want to thank them on behalf of just the coaching staff. I think the personnel an echo Elliott's comments just about the support and the commitment that they've made just in getting this process and this just being able to build a program every single day and allowing us to have the resources that we've needed to do that to provide our players with everything that they need to be successful on and off the field. So thank you, you know, thank you Robert. I want to thank Elliott. I want to thank his personnel department, specifically to pro scouts and that staff that that really teed it up for me and the coaches to come in and evaluate as we work through the personnel, you know stage and in the preliminary stages of that. So you know they I thought they did a great job. I want to thank them. Would love to thank Nancy Meyer and Stretch for for kind of coordinating everything. Everything moves pretty quick, and they kept us in line and they kept us and they handled travel and just the communication and getting everybody here. So I want to thank them. I would love to thank Ritchie and Mitch and and and Hallie who who are going to form our player Engagement on department and then being able to just meet with these families and visit and then help this transition that you know, there's going to be some new players here.
There's many some new faces here.
And that that department is critical and you know, we want to support them. The I want to thank specifically our little free agent group, which was Me Elliott, Ryan Cowden, Matt grow Richard Miller. Uh that we were firing them off left and right, just trying to get back touched, go pivot because everything happens pretty quick. And that was fun just being able to everybody, you know, work at a different angle, uh, getting the contracts done, communicating on that, going to plan B and and really it was fun and and we're excited about the players that we had and you can see that you know, once you get to know these these players and these men.
That that we were going.
To be just as excited as them off the field as we are on the field.
But I want to welcome you guys. I want to welcome you.
Guys are our.
Patriot family, and I think that we were all excited about getting you as players, but then when we met in the in the hallway and met your families, we're even more excited.
To meet your support system and understand.
Why you guys are the way you are.
And you know we're gonna We're gonna support the things and the people that are important in your life.
That's what we believe in.
We believe in making connections and making sure that then when they come to work here that we're doing everything we can so that we can we can put the product on the field.
That Robert talked about.
That's a that's a championship product, and that starts by investing in people. And and I'm confident that we got the right people and then now it's our job to put them in the right places UH as players to get the best out of them.
Until I'm excited to start that process so that that UH I'll.
I guess I'll take a few co UH questions as it relates to some of the players, and then what we plan on doing going forward, Karen.
I'm on Karen.
In prior meetings with us, you've talked about UH wanting to support Drake Bay and protecting him with an improved offensive line.
UH.
With the news of the release of David Andrews today, there now appear multiple holes to fill. Have things not gone according to plan? And are you now forced to draft for need.
In that area?
No, I think that there's a lot there.
Karen.
You mentioned David and want to thank him, you know, having played at this organization, not quite as long as he had, but but being here. I want to thank him for that, for for being here and and and carrying on a tradition that so many great players before him had. We're going to continue to support as Elliott. Elliott mentioned the needs that we feel like we're on the team and we'll target the offensive line. There's still quite a bit of time before we get to the draft. But but there's also you know, we we don't want to just be careless, right we talked about there's a difference.
We want our players to play aggressive.
We don't want them to play reckless, and so we don't want to be reckless through this process. We want to be very intentional with the with the people that we bring on this football team, and we'll we'll continue to target all those needs that we feel like and the players that can help us.
Thank you, hey, Mike.
When with Milton Williams, there was a report that he was close to signing to another team, and I think like an hour or so later, you know, you guys finalized to deal with him. Can you take us through the emotions of sort of that swing and what was it about Milton that made you guys feel comfortable.
To give him the deal you did? Well.
I think it's always about the entire package. When you look at compensation, right, it's the body of work, it's the what they're going to do for us. We always want to be able to, you know, not rely on on past performances.
But that was something.
There's a there's a high ceiling and a great vision about the person, the effort, the skill set, you know, the speed in which he plays.
There's a there's a power.
So certainly there's an aggressiveness and being able to add him to our defensive line is something that was really exciting, you know. But you talk about the character and hopefully we're going to be able to I hope you want to play more than then they're played in Philadelphia, and I know that you guys are extremely successful, but we want to play him a little bit more than that, and hope we can do that.
You know, you just try to.
You do your best in a short amount of time to make a connection with the player and kind of what we are right, we don't want to sell anything Like what we want to sell is just who we are.
It's not we want them to want to be here. And then if they want to.
Be here and we want them, we'll we'll figure out a way to make it work contractually. But they we want people and players that want to be here, that want to be a part of what we're doing. And that's what these guys are and there'll be more that that come along after them.
Hey, Mike uh Tom, you mentioned you didn't want to be selling people, but the reality of having had two unsuccessful seasons and then ending up at the top of the draft, you had to make some kind of a pitch to convince guys and we'll certainly ask them about it too. But what was your main pitch to say, Hey, I know it on paper has not been positive the last two years, but this is what we're building.
What was what was the.
Main thing you were articulating to these guys and convincing them.
I mean, just just who we are as people that we're gonna we're gonna care about them, We're gonna push them about the team. Right, you have to target the right player, you know, making sure that that our vision and want them to help us build a program that that when the players walk back in here on April seventh, that they're proud of that they want to protect that they call their own. You know, just what we've we've done, and what we the relationships that we try to make, and what we want to build the entire player around, and then put them in good spots. And I think we've been able to to put some players, specifically Milton, put players like that in our history of coaching and good spots to be productive and make players that can help the team win.
Hi, Mike, Hi, Sophie.
I was just curious there were the reports about you guys going after Chris god when obviously he RESIGND with Tampa Bay. I'm curious what your thoughts are, what your plan is at the wide receiver position, and how you plan to address that, whether it's free agency or the draft.
Yeah, I'm not going to talk about any of the players. Are the ones that are right here and the ones that are going to currently on our football team. Well, continue to target Matt Collins will be in here tomorrow. He's a wide receiver, you know. But we'll continue to look at the wide receiver position as it relates through free agency, explore every option uh with other teams, and potentially, you know, then we'll get to the point where we're where we're looking in the draft. And there's just a lot of time. And I know that everybody's like it's over at free agency. It's it's never over. And and Zoe's you know, wherever Alonso is, I don't know, but he keeps reminding me and I think everybody else that because he's been around a lot of times. He's like, there's players that are going to come available, whether it be now or whether it be in May or after training camp. Like it's just he's like, I've seen it enough to know that there's going to be someone that's currently not on our roster that's going to help us win a game this year.
We just he's not in Foxboro.
Hey, Mike, Uh, what do you remember about Robert Spulane when he first came to Tennessee as a trial player and just what do you think about the crew that he's put together since then?
Well, I mean it was just you couldn't you know.
We went out to practice and he didn't make any mental mayors. He was athletic, he was excellent in this open field tackling drill. Did the same thing the next day, did the same thing on Sunday. You know, it got to be a joke where we would just keep throwing them in and be like, hey, let's see if somebody can make Splaine miss. And then, you know, John Robinson and I were just like, we have to have him on the football team. And I think he's earned the right to be here based on those three days.
And you know, Robert may or may.
Not share this story, but he got We told him and it was on Mother's Day and he got to call his mom and it.
Was you know, it was pretty special, you know, especially.
For me being a young football coach or a young head coach to be able to see a player that had earned the right like we didn't hand him anything like. That's what we want for every single player on our team. We want them to earn everything.
That they get.
And that was an example of what he earned his opportunity and the National Football League. So that's no surprise of the career that he's had based on how it started.
Hey, Mike, going back to Karen's question regarding David in the offensive line, as you look to build a winning culture for an a time captain who's been here, what made releasing him in the best interest of the team.
Well, I think we talk about leadership, and Elliott mentioned a few other players as it relates to Jonathan Jones and Dietrich Wise and and you know, David happy for those guys that you know are found other places, And there would be no restriction on leadership as far as age or experience, like every one of our players that walks in here or our coaches can can act as a leader, you know. So I think when you go through personnel decisions, there's a lot of things that we'll talk about, right, age ability, durability, production, vision, and so I would say that, you know, anytime we talk about personnel decisions, that those are gonna be some of the things that that Ellie and I.
Will talk about.
So hey, Mike, just on the timing with David, is that was it injury related for him?
He obviously was hurt last year.
I'm not gonna get into a lot of details and specifics. I wanna try to, you know, celebrate these players that we have here on this team that we're gonna be.
Moving forward with.
Robert Elliott you know, touched on on David, but you know, we're just trying to trying to move forward here and and and continue to sign and add players that we feel like are gonna help us uh win and and s and really start preparing at April seventh last.
Year, how much of it all did maybe the previous feeling of familiar already have with some of these guys, not just you, but the coaching the extended to coaching staff have In terms.
Of I don't know how you could do free agency any any differently, Like I really don't Just the timing that's involved with a lot of this stuff.
You know, it's.
Important to me and Roberts and trusted Elliott and myself to bring the right people onto this football team. And so if we have coaches that we trust and then believe in that have been with players, we have to take that into consideration. If there's players at Elliott or anybody else in the personnel department have had or myself, I think that that's critical, you know, I mean, we have to evaluate the tape. That's that's the first thing we do, Like we watch the tape, and then it's what what is this person? Who are we going to get every single day? Because there's gonna be times in every football season that that it's not going well. And I've seen it from these players that they're not going anywhere. And the other ones that we bring in and the other ones that are down in that locker room right now, like they're resilient. They're kno going to back down when things aren't bad. They can handle.
Adversity, they'll attack adversity. So that's what the idea is.
And it really helps when you know somebody or a coach or a trusted personnel member has been with that player.
It's it's just hard, you know, I Mean, that's it's important.
Mike how do you view Carlton's skill set and how it pairs with Christian unlocking what you might be able to do defensively?
Yeah, hopefully we can just play cat coverage like you got that cat, I got this cat, and we can go to work. So just just an aggressive st I mean, just the the I would say, the thing I appreciate about watching CD is that they may catch a ball on him, he just lines back up and he competes and he challenges and he tries to play aggressive and there's a there's a play style that we embrace.
And so corners are.
It's a tough position in the National Football League, right, and so they're going to have that passes that are caught on them. It's can they line back up the next snap and challenge and compete and get their hand on the next football And that would be I would say. Outside of his physical skill set is the mental makeup. And Morgan, we didn't you get a follow up now and everybody else had to follow up.
I just want to touch on Morgan because the four guys are here yep, and we didn't touch What does he bring well?
I think just a great veteran leadership, you know, tell us funny story. After we were able to commit, we were able to have a conversation and so I face timmed him with the boys. You've got three boys a too a here you'll see, but they're all eating candy. And I said, oh, you guys are lucky. It's to celebrate, and he goes, don't worry. I'll have him out there working training at four o'clock after we get done eating all this candy. And I'm like, man, can you just let him have a good time today, and he's like, nope, They're going out training at four o'clock and that's what we're going to do. So there's been a repeated experience of taking care of his body, playing a demanding position what he brings in the locker room. But again he there's been a great product on the field with length, size, and we were excited to add him and his family. Thank you guys, And with that, I would now want to introduce CD carl Carlton Davis.
No applause here, what it's up? No, how y'all doing?
Hi Carlton, Welcome to New England.
And it's just curious.
Elliott talked about how we're always someone who he wanted to he wanted to drop you and then you know he wanted to pick you up. What's it like to hear that and what was kind of that final motivation for you to come to New England.
It's always good to be wanted, especially in this in this league. I didn't know. I didn't know that. Uh, that was a story behind it. But you know, it's always good to be wanted in this league. And you know a part of the decision of me coming here was you know, them prioritizing me and you know, being able to you know, just get me here. You know, Uh, obviously I was in Detroit and uh, you know we had a great season last year. But you know, ultimately, you know, just being somewhere where you feel prioritized and you know, going somewhere where you know, you uh are familiar with you know, Terrell Williams and you know, I've always been a fan of uh Mike and how he ran tennesseee. So you know that was part of the decision. And you know, I'm happy to be here.
Cool me.
Hey, Carlton, just what were your impressions of Terrell Williams last.
Year in Detroit?
Uh?
He was a real cool dude, you know real he w It wasn't quiet, he wasn't loud.
Uh.
I always gave uh great presentations when it came to our defensive meetings. You know, one of the best d line coaches in the NFL, and UH, you know, we always had like a a respect relationship where he understood what I've gone to the game. And you know, it's always good when you get a good coach like that to uh, you know, give you respect and acknowledge what you do. So you know, I wasn't there for too long, so I can't write a book about it, but obviously you know he I gave a good impression on him, and he had a good impression for me.
On Daddy's take as the congratulations, h how do you feel about Christian Zales.
And how do you feel about teaming up with him in the second day.
I'm excited, man, I'm excited.
Uh.
He's a young, great player. I've watched his film even when he was coming out of college. UH watched his film. I always kind of do a little background check on the corners coming in the league. I guess it's a competitive thing, but I.
Liked his film.
He's long he's rangy, got good ball skills he's had. He had a really good year last year, in my opinion. I didn't watch too money Patriots defensive tapes, but from what I've seen on the highlights, he looked like he was playing good ball. And I'm always eager to match up or just kind of team up with guys who has similar skill sets to me and can help push me in practice. And I could push him at practice, and you know, it's always an iron as chopper ands iron, So I'm excited for that. I'm excited to get to practice with him, get to know him a little bit, pick his brain, just kind of see how we can help each other grow.
Carlton, I know that you were teammates with Tom Brady's still a big deal around here. What do you remember about the time playing with him?
Man, Tom was a great guy. I was just telling somebody earlier today that I learned so much from him and I didn't even have too many conversations with him, but just how he carried hisself, how he went about the game. He impacted us on the field and off the field in Tampa, just from not just how serious he took practice and how focused he was, but also how diligent he was in his recovery everything he did to continue to be the same guy every day, taking care of his body, and he would give us little tips on what to do and you know, just how to be a professional and how to be successful in this league and in this game. So I'm always thankful for having to share locker room with him and having to win games and win a championship with him. I learned so much and I'm so I'm just grateful for the opportunity.
Chris Price.
Problem.
You heard Mike talk a little bit about the pitch to the free agents. What was the pitch like for you in your experience talking to him talking to Eliot and what ultimately sealed the.
Deal for you here doing.
You know, I would say me being a priority and you know, also being able to come here and uh, you know, do something historical here in a historical place. You know, Like I said, I've always been a fan of Mike, Uh, even down in Tennessee, and you know, with uh T big T coming here and being in DC, and you know, just knowing how he was as a coach, uh, understanding the room I was coming into, Uh, the talent I could play with, and just the the the ability to be able to come somewhere and build something and come somewhere and start a legacy was was big for me. I a in in Detroit. I had a good I had a good run with him. I can't lie had a good season with them, and you know, it was a lot of fun with those guys. Uh. But you know, ultimately I wanted to, you know, be somewhere where I felt like I was a party, be somewhere while I felt like I could come here and build and you know I could be a a a leader And not to say I wasn't a leader there, but uh, you know I wanted to be somewhere that uh appreciated me and uh me and my family and made me feel welcome. Not to say not to thrown you say it cause I know had like to twist things up and I and I love Detroit. I would never want to throw say the three one three. We had a a great year and I I I know how this goes. But you know, like I said, man, you know in this league, there's a there's a short time here, and you wanna make it really efficient. H and and and coming here. I understand the opportunity here. I understand it's a rebuild. I understand that. You know, there's great coaches here, and you know Detroit has a a great thing going. But I feel like we can have a great thing going here.
Last question, may it Garylton, Welcome to New England.
Uh.
I wanted to ask you about the time you played here.
Described it as a historical place.
Obviously Tom came.
Back that nineteen twenty twenty one to a tackle fast break up.
What do you remember about the environment.
In your one game here in the way, it was a crazy environment. One thing I do remember I was, I told my choir here, so not something that I wanna remember, but I was having a good game up until then, and the environment was electric. I had never played here before, and I didn't know how it would be coming coming here, you know. Uh, but it was like really really vibrant. Everybody was just I mean, obviously Tom's coming back, so why wouldn't it be. But it it definitely impressed me. The crowd was so into it, and it was like the lights just seemed a little bit brighter. I don't know why I did. It seemed a little bit brighter. But you know, I was impressed. I was impressed. Uh the crowd was really into it. You could feel the love of football in the city. I mean, I guess it helps that Tom came back and he hadn't been back since he left, But uh, yeah, I was impressed. Okay, thank you?
How d your head you questions here in the middle this, or let let's start with how how the kids respond to that workout before?
Uh?
Uh, they know if I gotta work out, they gotta put they their own their own pockets too, So you know, it's part of being in the family business. So you know, I try to raise men at home. You know, I didn't have that when I was growing up that much. So being able to give that to them is vital to my DNA. So just being able to have boys and and show them the way it's always been my my my DNA.
And and to follow up, uh, what is it about this opportunity.
That appeal to you know, obviously, you know, playing a lot of ball over the course of my career, you know, going in year twelve, man, you know obviously the the historic you know the history of being the Patriot, and obviously, man, you know you I know the the question is coming about, you know, what was the pitch of coming here? But when you got a guy like coach rabel Man, you don't need a pitch man, you know, cause I know how it is holding back the holding back for our offensive line and d lineman out there. I practice when I'm holding my son's my son's bags or I'm coaching his team, and and it hurts when you don't got pads on. So you know, for a guy like that to go out there and do that, and obviously he's won in most multiple advacets of his career, you know, and as a player and as a coach. So when you got a guy that a leader of men that's willing to to step aside and put hisself.
On the line for the better good for the team, it's an easy decision.
Like your.
Or in it's a very young room right now.
I know there's still work that could be done to to fill the room.
You're the you're in quot unquote.
The old guy, the veteran guy. How how O g O g oh?
I like, yeah, how can you.
Help those guys? You know it's been part of my DNA.
Man, you know, I had great vests when I came into the league as Trent Williams and and guys like that. And you know, one thing he always told me as a player coming up through this league, man, make sure you pass it down.
And that's been, you know, been a part of me.
You know, obviously I had you know, last year, I had Olu who was a first round draft pick, young guy, and he played multiple multiple positions for US last year. So being able to take him and and and obviously just not take him and show him the way because obviously it's just there's certain things that that he's done in college that I didn't get to do.
Because the game is evolved.
So much, you wind up learning, you wind up learning yourself. And and that's the thing is like when you're competing, whether it's in any facet of life, when you're able to teach somebody and show them things and you're able to learn in that room, it makes everybody better because that guy behind you is getting better every day. So you can't be a complacent player and be that same person. You got to show up every day and make yourself better. So when you have that mentality for a room, especially for an offensive line, because we operate, you know as one five equals one.
We never leave the field.
You know, those are the two positions quarterback and in offensive line. We never leave the field. We're always on the field. We can't raise our hand and say, hey, coach, we need a water break. So it's very important for us to be able to work together, you know, not even on the field, but off the field as well, getting to know each other, you know, dinners and things like that, because I truly believe, you know, if you don't know your brother's off the field, how can you go to battle with them on the field. So bringing that mentality as a older guy in the locker room and just bringing guys along and showing them the way, it's gonna be a great deal for us.
I had more goan, congratulations l eleven NFL seasons. What has allowed you uh to stay healthy to stay productive.
For after eleven years?
I would say the biggest thing is just not s not staying complacent, you know, being able to come in a a and and learn different techniques, being willing to learn different techniques. And you know, obviously over my career, I've had great coaches. I had Bill Callahan when I was young, in the league. And obviously he taught me a lot. And obviously you know his name rings Bells throughout the league. That's offensive line. But also having veterans man. You know, last year I was with Tyron Smith, so I got to learn a lot of things from him, you know, future Hall of Famer. I was with Trent Williams. It was Donald Penn. So when you get to take a little bit of you know, knowledge from everybody else and mix it in your own mixing bowl and come up with your own recipe, that's what you get. You get longevity in the NFL and just being able to take care of your body.
Just know what you need.
You know, now every time you can, you can go in the weight room and throw four hundred pounds on the bench and bench pressure.
Some days you.
Need you know, you might need pilates, you might need yoga, you might able to sprinkle some things in just so you know, just kind of just knowing your body and just learning your own regiment, fine tuning things, but just being a professional every day coming in. You know, even in the days that you don't you don't wanna come in, you know, those be those when you when you get down to the work. You know, that's those are your best days when you come in those days you're a little sore and you don't feel like practicing. But you got a guy like Milton that's not gonna slow down, you know what I'm saying, Cause he's still hungry, so he gonna challenge you every day.
So that's what you want in those trenches.
You know, like likes like CD say, you know, iron sharp and iron and that's what we building here.
We not we just not building a team, we building a brotherhood.
What you find to kill hand you to talk to Morgan, Welcome uh to New England.
Appreciate that you talk about your.
Regimen from a specific diet and from training standpoint.
What can you give us some details?
But what's allowed you to keep playing at a high level or thirty four?
You know, you know obviously you know being in the trenches, man, you're always gonna get banged up. You know last year I dealt with a knee injury from week three on man and you know, just you know, sleeping in the hyperbaric chamber, getting up early morning it's five o'clock to go into the facility to make sure you know the train or see you doing your thing, and just you know, obviously you know, not every day you gonna feel well to be able to do everything. So you know, watching that tape, you know what I'm saying, and and obviously being the A guy that's going in year twelve, I've never been scared of the actually younger guy I coach.
You know, what can I do better? You know?
So every every day just coming in with something to get. You know, everybody thinks that this jump in the NFL, you gotta go from A to Z right here, But I.
Wanna go to A to B and then go to Z.
You know, as long as I stay at A, it doesn't matter as long as as much time as I stay at A, as long as I know when I leave A that I've completed that and I don't have to go backwards. I know I'm in the right step. So it's really just one inch of the time, man, you know, just taking taking time learning, learning ball and obviously you know we got a young talented quarterback back there, so being able to pick his brain, understand him, understand what he sees on the field, so I can be better in my approach and blocking for him. You know, and and obviously being in the league for for a while, you know, I've seen a lot of things. You know, obviously, you know defenses, they all run the same defense, just different personnel.
You're never gonna have two in the same gap.
So just being able to share that knowledge in that football IQ with him, you know, to help raise his game, is gonna make us a lot better.
Last person, Hey Morgan back here?
Gotcha? Sorry, Hawaii.
How important is it to this collective group of free agents to kind of as a group instill a culture and a sense of urgency?
I guess.
I mean Mike came here in two thousand and one as part of a free agent group from a team that wasn't that good the year before, and then things really flipped because a lot of guys who were brought in work together, it seemed, in helping to instill a culture. Do you guys take that kind of maybe collective responsibility.
You know, you don't need a miracle to win football games. You know, you just need the right people in the building. And obviously with coach variables here, you know we got the right people. You know, you know, our owners an amazing owner and then obviously you know, we got guys that's you know, CD won a Super Bowl, Milton just wonted Super Bowl. They're gonna bring knowledge of the game on how to be longevity through those weeks of week eighteen, nineteen twenty, when it when it hurts, right, when when when people want to tap out, how to keep going? And so, you know, it's important for us to be able to learn from one another. And everybody has different qualities. You know, Robert he told you know, eight years in the league as a as a free agent without a tryout, you know, and he come in here and now he's one hundred and forty tackles, you know, two years in a row.
That doesn't happen overnight. That's preparation.
That's dog, that's brotherhood, that's mentality that somebody that comes to the building every day to learn.
So guys are gonna get around these guys.
And we're gonna talk football, We're gonna talk IQ, we're gonna talk brotherhood. We're gonna learn about each other off the field and on the field. So when we get on the field, nothing that that that comes at us, you known, no adversity that touches us on the field is gonna be able to break us, cause we're gonna have an unbelievable bond. And so when we went out to that tunnel on Sundays, Mondays and Thursday, you gonna see something different, you gonna feel something different because we gonna go out there as a one unit, you know, and we're gonna play football together.
Well, appreciate y'all.
War's how's it going good?
No question?
Alright? Thank you?
That's a.
Your growth the last two years as a player. What do you attribute that to?
I have to say, and I always say, it doesn't happen by accident. It doesn't happen overnight. This has been years in the making, years of intentional actions throughout every day, living my life a certain way to try to get to where I am right now.
Here.
Robert, Welcome to New England. What was about playing with Mike Rabel that you know made this an appealing spot for you.
I've known coach Rabel from a young age, from high school when he was a recruiter at Ohio State. Always admired his playing career and his coaching career. When when you get around a guy like coach Rabel, you really feel that intensity, you feel that passion, and I like to say I fall into that same boat of intensity and passion and heart. And so I've gotten along with him great in Tennessee and I can't wait to continue to form that relationship.
Robert, look at your tape.
One thing that jumps out is the fact that you were always eating your hands on passes, and I'm curious what was in your preparation process and what do you attribute to being able to make so many plays like that on the field.
Yeah, quite a few different things. One of the things I study on the field is spatial awareness. So I like to know where I am on the field without having to open my eyes. So I do a lot of eyes closed training to be better, better spatially aware of where I'm going without having to look. I attribute the ball skills to playing offense, growing up as an offensive player, a running back or receiver, always playing catch every single day. You'll see me out at practice twenty thirty minutes early, just because I love getting my hands on the football. That's how you're gonna essentially change the outcome of games, getting interceptions, forcing the ball out, getting PBUs TFLs, giving guys a chance like CD to go make plays on third and long, So I pride myself on that.
Hey, Robert, what do you want Patriots fans to know what that they can expect from you as a player and a person.
Yeah, I want the patriotation to know that I'm gonna pour my heart into this city, into this community, into this team. I cared deeply about what I do. I bring passion and heart everywhere I go. I'm just so excited to get my feet in the building, get started, get to know the guys. Before the guys want to hear what you have to say, you got to make sure that feel like you care for them. So I want to make sure that my teammates know that I'm not here trying to get them. I just want what's best for them at the end of the day. So I'm gonna pour my heart into my teammates.
You've probably heard coach Rabel mention when you got a spot on the tightness roster in twenty eighteen, and I imagine this contract that you just signed probably life changing in a different way. Just putting those two things together, how would you describe your emotions?
Yeah, well, coach Rabel said, I got hired in twenty eighteen on Mother's Day, and I got to call my mom in tears, saying I'm going to be a professional football player. And today is her verday. So I'm signing the contract on her birthday. And she's a very important special woman in my life and I just want to make her pride very much.
Thank you, guys, congratu.
Thank you felt me.
So the report was you're close to signing with Carolina.
You're here now? Can you take us sort of the emotions of that.
Did you think you were about to sign a piece of paper to be a Carolina Panther?
Uh? You know, it's a it was a fast process. My agent was telling me teams were interested, you know. Once a number got to a certain point, a lot of teams like dropped out and the Patriots was the one that wanted me the most.
So Uh, I made a priority to come here. That made me a priority.
And uh they value what I bring to the table as far as being a.
Versus a player on the d line.
Uh, A leader, Uh, A hard worker and yeah, they bl they believed in me. So i'ma try to give it back to 'em as much as I can.
Christ Parson Builble welping and doing them appreciate it.
What's the most important thing that you've learned over the course of your career in Philadelphia and how do you plan on kind of putting it to you to.
Move im forward?
Uh?
Hard work will never betray you and anything you know, Uh, you put your head down and work at something, you gonna end up being successful at it. So Uh, throughout my life, UH, everything I've gotten has not been a hand out. I had to go above and beyond uh all expectations us to get everything that I've earned to this point.
So Uh, I'm just blessed to be here.
Uh blessed UH had the opportunity to represent such a winning organization. You know, you feel it once you once you come through these doors and you know the standard that uh mister Craft and coach Verybo that they set.
Uh you feel that.
So I just wanna try to continue to do that and build this team up to to uh bring more championships.
I Melton, congratulations again, I sued I was just curious, uh hearing a part of the Patriots history now and I at least signed the biggest contracts in franchise history.
Just what does that mean to have an organization like respect you in that way to want to reward you with something so big and history making.
Yeah, that's a that's a blessing.
Man.
I didn't now I just won Super Bowl a couple couple weeks ago, so I thought that was like the biggest day of my life. But I feel par th I, this is probably gonna jump then.
Yeah, for sure.
You know, being on is uh the highest uh average salary or whatever whatever you wanna call it. H that's big man. You know, like I said, they believed in me. Obviously, they study me as a player and as a person.
Uh. They know what I bring to the table.
Uh, physicality, toughness, Uh, determination and you know I thrive on people telling me I can't do something.
So bring it on, Milton.
Congratulations.
Uh.
Coach Rabel who was talking about in wanting to play you more than you played in Philadelphia, How did you feel about that?
And is that exciting for you? Definitely? Uh.
The more you're out there, the more opportunity you got to make plays. And I pride myself on being productive from wherever I line up on a on the defensive line.
And you know I'm gonna bring it here. Oh, Milt.
You broke out last year as a pass rusher, but also you've done some dirty workers at run defender. How important is it to you to be a well rounded player and what goes into that process of being that kind of well rounded figure.
Uh.
I just want to be known as do it all, versatile, Swiss army knife. Like I said, line up anywhere and be productive from any spot, run past if I got a drop in coverage.
I feel like I can do that wherever they need me to be, whatever they need me to do, I'm ready.
I'm ready for the challenge. And what goes into that is just like I said, you know, hard work. Obviously with great coaches. You know, he played this game a long time now he' coaching, so I'm obviously gonna be picking his brain a lot. Uh, coach t and then the player is here, you know, find the vents, you know, picked their brain. I did a lot of that in Philadelphia with Brandon Graham, h Jay von Hargrave, Josh Sweat, Darry Barnett, these guys, you know, they they took me under the wing.
Uh.
Taught me how to take care of my body and just going to practice and getting better every single day, and you know that leads to winning games and winning playoff games and two balls.
So that's all I know. O.
Kurt, hey belt I, if you are asked to play more snaps, H, how will you try to maintain the level that you showed in Philadelphia while still being on the field a little bit more.
Putting in work, putting in works playing and simple uh extra work, uh aksing the coaches, whatever I need to do to uh make sure I'm available for every game Sunday, like you said, Sunday, Monday, Thursday.
I wanna be out there.
I wanna be out there representating my teammates, this organization and uh yeah, like I ain't gonna leave no stone unturned when it comes to uh preparing, uh being healthy, being in the best shape that I can be in, and being out there and being productive.
Alow question, I Knowlton, you're just coming off winning a Super Well you're first. Uh during that ride, what what did you learn about what it takes to win a Super Bowl?
Resilience, togetherness? Uh? Well, coach coach Cianna used to say.
Uh, you can't be great without the greatness of others and knowing that this is a team game.
It's not about any individual and just being together as.
One, you know, like you were saying, uh, like most were saying, just having their brotherhood and building that bond you know, off the field. I feel like that carries on onto the field, and no, you go out there and you play f play for one another even harder once you, you know, get to know 'em and get to know their families and why they do what they do. So uh yeah, I learned. I l learned that a lot in Philadelphia, Uh from coaches, players. Uh yeah, obviously they've been been a winning organization. So coming over here is it's probably it's gonna be the sign down. Thank you very much, appreciate it.
We'll bring the seven of you up here for photo op. Evan, if you can have your crew kind of help with the podium. You guys can either stay seated or clear off to the side if you're going to stand just we don't want to block the cameras behind. Photographers feel free to come in and be in the front row down here, just stay low so you're not blocking the shots from behind.
This.
The entire program here will be transcribed and sent out to our beat writers a little bit a little bit later.
St Patriots Playbook, join John Brook as he brings you all the latest Patriots Talk.
An expert commentary direct for Patriots HV. The show features interviews with New England and Opponent Beat writers that bring you a unique media view of the state of the team.
But where the Patriots are concerned, Let's just get one thing done and let's get it done right and then.
We can worry about versatility. Am I lying to anybody here? Let's just get one thing done.
Let's get one thing done right, and then we can move along.
That's kind of my biggest thing.
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