As safeties go, what former Patriots captain Jabrill Peppers pulled off on Sunday in New England was a pretty memorable performance. He had six tackles, including two solo, on the day and had a big momentum-shifting play when he knocked the ball from Pats back Antonio Gibson and recovered the fumble himself. It was a star-caliber performance for a guy who was cut by coach Mike Vrabel in a stunning move less than a month ago.
And if you’re wondering whether Peppers arrived at Gillette Stadium with an axe to grind, well, you can be sure that was the case. The fact that the Steelers came away with a 21-14 win in a game in which the mistake-prone Patriots resembled the Keystone Cops, with five turnovers, made things all the better for him.
His teammate, Cam Heyward, was asked after the game whether Peppers had extra motivation in this one. Heyward smiled wide and said, “I think he enjoyed it a lot. … I think when we have these guys who played elsewhere and welcome themselves to the Steelers, it’s really special for us to get the W for them.
Patriots Stunned With Roster Decision
Peppers had been a team captain for the Patriots and was a 15-game starter in 2023. He struggled with a hamstring injury in 2024, and his numbers were terrible, but he fought to stay on the field and play through the pain.
It was a stunner when, on August 29, after the initial 53-man roster cutdown, the Patriots opted to waive Peppers, especially with veteran safety Kyle Dugger having struggled badly through training camp.
After beating the Patriots, Peppers said he was relieved. “Absolutely, I needed this one,” he said. “Each and every man, coach in here, we had a great week of work, great prep. It feels good right now.”
Speaking about the big play on Gibson and recovering the fumble, Peppers said he foresaw it as he went through the game mentally on Saturday. “I envisioned it last night. I definitely envisioned it last night,” he said. “Let the fans know I miss them. But I’m down with the Steel Curtain now, I hope they become a fan through here, too.”
Jabrill Peppers Defended His Abilities
There was never any very good reason given for Peppers’ release. In the wake of Vrabel’s decision to cut Peppers, he only offered vague generalities and refuted the popularly circulated notion that Peppers was released because he did not fit Vrabel’s system.
One Patriots writer, Mike Reiss of ESPN, wrote , ““The Patriots are prioritizing a different style of play from their safeties than what former coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo valued at that position. That’s the short answer as to why starter-turned-backup Jabrill Peppers was released Friday.
Peppers had responded to that notion on Twitter/X. “Going on 9 years in this league. I’ve had (seven head coaches and six defensive coordinators) lol,” Peppers said. “There is no scheme you can place me in where I won’t find a way to be effective.”
He showed that on Sunday. “I had to keep my emotions in check, not let the moment get too big,” he said. “Let the plays come to you. I definitely got a lot I gotta work on as far as minute details and things but it’s definitely good.”
Jabrill Peppers Takes Swipe at Patriots After Revenge Win With Steelers