Alijah Vera-Tucker on The Patriots, Mike Vrabel & Battling Through Adversity

So I was going to ask you this later, but you brought it up.

What is it like? Okay.

So let me preface this by saying everyone who spent any time at one Patriot drive talks about the Patriot way, the aura of the Patriots, but you have boots on the ground.

What has it been like? What has it been like to kind of be involved and thrust into the Patriot way? And what does it mean kind of wearing that logo on the side of your helmet?

Yeah, man, it's definitely, I mean, just like everybody says, you know, like the Patriot Way, like, you know, one of the best organizations in the league.

So when I got here, it's funny, like in OTAs, I felt that immediately, you know, just like how people are carrying themselves, like the competitiveness in a building, which I could really appreciate, you know, just being a competitor myself.

So I get here, I'm just like, dude, like I could feel like the difference already, you know, just like the people they're bringing in here, you know.

So I feel like, you know, just now being out here in Foxborough is definitely something I got to take advantage of in my career.

You know, especially with Rabel as the coach, Drake May back there, you know, the runner up to MVP, did running backs, great line, great defense.

So I'm excited, man.

It's fun.

I mean, no disrespect to the Jets.

Well, maybe a little, but it's gonna be a night and day difference going.

What's the that's a great

point case, right? But what's the what's the one difference that surprised you the most? Like I know you can all you probably walk in having all these expectations, but heard so much about entering the New England organization.

Was there something that caught you up either it was a stark difference from your past employment, or just one thing you weren't expecting to be the case?

Man, I would say, and it's funny, I was going to bring this up later, but I feel like just, you know, unfortunately with the Jets, you know, they haven't been to the playoffs in I think since like 2010 or something like that.

It's

been a while.

So then, you know, you almost kind of, it's just like a, it's almost like a bad thing to say, but with all the losing, you almost get accustomed to it.

Like you almost get numb to it, you know? And nobody wants that, especially, you know, as a competitor in this league.

You know, nobody wants to feel that way.

Right.

But it just almost like becomes a norm, you know, and I'm sure eventually they'll turn it around, you know, for sure.

But yeah, I mean, that's probably just a night and day difference, man.