New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel met with the media on Tuesday morning. He gave important updates, including that the Patriots will hold joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts and the Philadelphia Eagles. The practice with the Colts will be held on August 11. The practices with the Eagles will be held on August 19 and 20th. ESPN’s Mike Reiss confirmed this.
The practices with the Eagles could be particularly intriguing, especially with the acquisition of A. J. Brown. The Patriots have historically held practices with other teams over the past few years. Now, they will look to continue the tradition as they look to get back to the Super Bowl and build upon their progress last season.
Vrabel also says joint practices with Eagles will be Aug. 19 and Aug. 20 in Foxborough.
Patriots Have Strong History With Joint Practices
The Patriots have had an eventful history with joint practices in recent memory. They first began in 2010 and have taken on a strong tradition for the organization. They hosted the Eagles in 2024 at Gillette Stadium. They also conducted joint practices with the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium and traveled to Minnesota to face the Vikings. There were subsequent preseason games as well last year.
The team was able to take care of business last year on multiple levels following the joint practices. They beat the Commanders by a 48-18 margin, opening the preseason off in style. They then were able to take care of business against the Vikings, grinding out a 20-12 victory.
The Patriots have historically performed well following joint practices. They hold a 21-11 record following the sessions. This includes a 9-5 mark in the 2018-2023 Bill Belichick era. They were 10-6 in the 2010-2017 Belichick era as well.
Patriots Have Fun History with Preseason Football
The Patriots have an intriguing record when it comes to preseason football. They were 60-96-1 from 1960 to 1993. This marked a time frame where the organization struggled. Depth issues, among other things, were hampering the Patriots from achieving preseason success. However, 1994 and onward have been successful. This coincides with Robert Kraft’s ownership of the organization. The team has a 58-50 preseason mark overall. This is significantly better than the earlier era.
Overall, the Patriots have had an eventful relationship with preseason football. For some teams, it is simply about going through the motions. However, the Patriots have historically taken it very seriously, especially in the Belichick era and beyond. Not only that, the joint practices are fun for fans to watch as well. It allows them to see teams that they may not be able to otherwise, and allows for competition to be fostered over the course of those weeks.
The joint practices with the Eagles will be particularly intriguing with the Brown storyline. It just adds another element of excitement for fans, and a chance for Brown to see some old friends as well. This may be one of the most anticipated preseasons. There should be some excitement surrounding it, as the Patriots look to make another deep postseason run. The acquisition of Brown will certainly help the team in achieving those goals, help them keep pace with the rest of the NFL.
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