Total Pro Sports
A few things need to be addressed in time. For the Patriots, the time came after Thursday night’s 42-14 loss to the Giants. But the real story was not about the game. It came from behind the scenes, and Mike Vrabel wasn’t happy about it.
The frustration was not due to the loss or poor gameplay that was evident during the game. It came from the leaked report about wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk. Hours before kickoff, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz revealed Polk would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. That report confirmed the second-round pick will be out for the entire 2025 season.
Polk’s injury may not be a problem in the roster, but it created trust issues inside the locker room. Vrabel was quite clear about that.
After the game, Vrabel met with reporters and made it clear he was less concerned about the scoreboard. When asked about the Polk report, the head coach didn’t deny it. Instead, he went straight at the source of the story.
“No, I don’t know. Other than, I’d like to find out where some of these (reports) come from,” Vrabel said. “Some of these rats around here. We’ll figure that out.”
#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel was asked to comment on the report that WR Ja’Lynn Polk will require season-ending shoulder surgery.
“No. I don’t know. Other than, I’d like to find out where some of these [reports] come from. Some of these rats around here. We’ll figure that out.”
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) August 22, 2025
That one line said everything. Mike Vrabel isn’t just mad about losing Polk. He’s furious that someone inside the building let the news slip before the team wanted it out. The Patriots have long carried a reputation for keeping things airtight. Seeing sensitive injury info leak just hours before a game felt like a break from that tradition.
Polk came in as a high draft pick, expected to fight for a top receiver spot. Instead, he missed valuable time with injuries and watched undrafted rookie Efton Chism III and others outplay him. Polk’s setback makes the offense a bit uncertain before the regular season, but many wanted to cut him down for his performance, and it made sense.
This isn’t the first time Vrabel has shown his anger since taking over in New England. Earlier this summer, he walked away bloodied after breaking up a brawl during a joint practice with the Commanders.
The Patriots enter Week 1 with more questions than answers. And while Polk’s injury clears up part of the roster puzzle, it also exposes a new one. Vrabel must now figure out who he can trust in a locker room that suddenly feels a little less secure.
