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Mike Vrabel, Patriots Dealt Bad News Before Super Bowl

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Feb 7, 2026 11:30 PM ET

Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots secured their spot in Super Bowl LX after taking down Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos 10-7 in a snowy AFC Championship Game. Now, the Patriots will turn their attention to Sunday evening, eyeing the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history as they take on Mike Macdonald and the Seattle Seahawks.

Vrabel helped the Patriots turn things around in his first season as New England’s head coach, improving from a 4-13 record in 2024 to 13-4 in 2025 and securing the AFC’s No. 2 seed. The defense showed significant improvement as well, finishing in the top 10 in both total yards allowed per game (295.2) and points allowed per game (18.8). However, against the Seahawks, the Patriots will be without a key rotational piece on defense.

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talks to quarterback Drake Maye (10) during an NFL game© Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Joshua Farmer spent four seasons at Florida State, recording 80 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. The defensive tackle was selected by New England in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and appeared in 13 games as a rookie, totaling 15 tackles, one pass defended and a fumble recovery.

However, in the Patriots’ Week 16 win over the Baltimore Ravens, Farmer was forced to exit in the first quarter after suffering a hamstring injury, never to return. He was later placed on injured reserve, causing him to miss the final games of the regular season and the first three games of the postseason, despite having his 21-day practice window activated ahead of the AFC Championship Game.

And while Farmer was listed as a full participant in practice leading up to Super Bowl LX, New England ultimately ruled him out of the season finale, leaving Vrabel without key depth along the defensive line.

"DT Joshua Farmer has been downgraded to out for Super Bowl LX," the Patriots wrote on X.