Patriots to hold joint practices with Commanders, Vikings during preseason
The New England Patriots will have a pair of joint practice sessions with preseason opponents this summer, head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed Tuesday in Foxboro.
The Patriots were on the practice field behind Gillette Stadium for a second straight day Tuesday as the team continued its organized team activities (OTAs) in Foxboro. Vrabel spoke with reporters ahead of the session, and revealed the Patriots will partake in joint practices with the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings during the team's preseason slate.
"I think for sure that the Washington Commanders will come here and then they'll play us, and then we are excited to go to Minnesota," Vrabel said Tuesday. "It's a good setup that they have. It allows for great work. The Vikings have an excellent football team, and we have worked with them before, so we're excited to go back up there."
Joint practices have become common in the NFL, as they give teams a chance to practice against someone other than themselves before games start to count. Players welcome the chance to hit someone in a different uniform, and coaches are happy to work on things in a mostly controlled setting. Tempers occasionally flare during joint sessions, but in the end it's all football.
While there are no details for the joint session with the Commanders in Foxboro ahead of their Aug. 8 preseason tilt, the Patriots are expected to have a pair of practices with the Vikings at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, MN, leading up to their Aug. 16 exhibition game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Patriots preseason schedule
After their exhibition games with the Commanders and Vikings, the Patriots will wrap up the preseason with the New York Giants. Here's New England's full preseason slate for the 2025 season:
Week 1: vs. Washington, Friday, Aug. 8 at 7:30pm
Week 2: @ Minnesota, Saturday, Aug. 16 at 1 pm
Week 3: at N.Y. Giants, Thursday, Aug. 21 at 8 pm
The Patriots will kick off their 2025 season on Sept. 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium.
