Patriots’ Coach Mike Vrabel Left Surprised By Marcus Epps and Kendrick Bourne Releases

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by Jake IovineAugust 30, 2025, 6:13 am >

With the New England Patriots only days away from their opening game of the season, the team had to cut its roster from preseason to 53 players.

Two of those players who were cut this week were wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and safety Marcus Epps.

However, confusion arose on Wednesday during Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel’s press conference. When asked if the team allowed these players to submit release requests, Vrabel was left puzzled.

“I don’t know who you’re referring to, I guess, specifically,” Vrabel said.

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When the reporter clarified his question was about Bourne and Epps, the head coach said it was “news” to him, and compared the situation to a romantic relationship.

“I mean, I think that we just, again, try to put the roster together,” he said. “I guess when it doesn’t work out, you break up with somebody, your girlfriend doesn’t want to be with you, and then you say, ‘Well, I don’t want to be with you either.’ I’m not going to get into all that.”

The Patriots coach did not want to drag the conversation further, quickly making his stance.

“We’re not gonna go back and forth here,” he said. “We’re trying to build a roster. You’ve gotta move on from some guys. You make connections with guys. You coach them. They earn more opportunities, they get more opportunities, they take advantage of them and that’s kind of how these things go.”

Vrabel joined New England last January following six seasons as Tennessee Titans head coach and one season as a coaching and personal consultant with the Cleveland Browns. The 50-year-old will manage his first official game with the Patriots on Sept. 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium.