Two large screens let you project an opposing offense or defense, allowing players to run through video game-like simulations. A divider also sections off the room, allowing multiple position groups to work without interruption. The Patriots use the space for walkthroughs, onboarding new additions to the roster, and letting players bank mental reps. According to head coach Mike Vrabel, the virtual room was an important addition for Patriots owner and President of the Kraft Group Jonathan Kraft and is changing how the Patriots teach their players.
“That was something that was important to Jonathan [Kraft] when we started looking at the building, his blueprint for that. Then for Stretch [John Streicher] and I to be able to go in, figure out how we wanted to do it,” Vrabel said. “It allows our coaches and our players to leave an individual meeting room, to walk out a door into a mobile classroom, and to be able to change, basically, the dynamics of how we teach. So many things are built off of splits and landmarks on the field. Then be able to watch the play on the screen and look at the installation. It’s just another opportunity for our players to learn and to get ready for the football game.”
Patriots secondary coach Scott Booker also recalled how far the virtual technology has come, reminiscing about the setup he and Vrabel had years ago during their days in Tennessee. Booker said the Titans would roll projectors into their indoor practice bubble to create a makeshift virtual room. Now, the Patriots have a dedicated space featuring the latest tech in the field to help their players.
“We have the ability to take these guys into a virtual room, full field in the building and a big TV, and it’s like they’re playing on the field,” Booker said. “It’s a great facility, a great teaching tool. It just gives the players another opportunity to learn without sitting in a chair and writing stuff down. We got playbooks and all that type of stuff, but we got to bring the picture to life. How do you bring the picture to life? On your feet, watching and reacting to what the offense is doing so that allows us to do that.”
Patriots quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant also described how Drake Maye and the quarterbacks utilize the space, adding that the coaching staff uses end zone angles from the TV copy of games to simulate live reps.
“What I like to do, I got this from Ken Dorsey, so I’ll give him his flowers. I think he’s in Dallas now. We would clip out the end zone shots from the TV copies so it looks as if you’re the quarterback watching the game,” Grant said. “We watch them on Fridays and Saturdays and just talk about our rules, our reads, our progressions. It’s a different teaching setting where you can get them on their feet and get them walking around a little bit, so I think the quarterbacks enjoy that.”