Mike Vrabel Remains Confident In Andy Borregales Despite Missed Kicks

Andy Borregales made just one of his two field goal attempts in the New England Patriots’ Week 8 victroy over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

The miss came from just 40 yards out, marking Borregales’ third missed field goal of the season from inside 50 yards. Through eight games, the second-year kicker is now 10-of-13 on field goals and 20-of-21 on extra points.

Head coach Mike Vrabel, however, still has belief in his kicker.

“That needs to get corrected,” Vrabel said Monday. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in Andy. I think when you see the timing and when the approach is in rhythm, it looks really good. We have to make our kicks. Everybody has a job here. There’s no real message. It’s, ‘Hey, we’ve got to make them.’ But I’ve got a lot of confidence. 

“I thought he did a really nice job on the kickoff with the ball placement. Hopefully, he’s making a lot of extra points and not having to kick a lot of field goals.”

The Patriots selected Borregales in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami. His rookie season got off to a slow start, including a pair of missed extra points in Miami in Week 2. However, he missed just three kicks over the remainder of the regular season.

During his weekly appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show, Vrabel also poked fun at how quickly analysts and fans call for players to be benched or released after making mistakes, referencing both Drake Maye and Rhamondre Stevenson as examples.

The Patriots have not had internal competition on the roster for Borregales since his rookie season, when John Parker Romo competed with him during training camp. For now, Vrabel appears content to stick with his kicker while emphasizing the need for better results.