Inside the locker room: Most Patriots didn’t know they clinched a playoff spot after win

Story by

Story by
Inside the locker room: Most Patriots didn’t know they clinched a playoff spot after win

Mark Daniels · MassLive

Mon, Dec 22, 2025 ·

3 min read

About Our Ads

BALTIMORE – There wasn’t a big celebration inside the visitors’ locker room in M&T Bank Stadium. Patriots players weren’t cracking the champagne or talking about what they achieved.

In fact, most players didn’t know.

The Patriots clinched a playoff spot for the first time since the 2021 season in their comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens . For most of the players, that was news to them once the media stepped inside the locker room.

“We did, or we didn’t?” Stefon Diggs said when asked about clinching a playoff spot.

Diggs didn’t know. K’Lavon Chaisson didn’t know. Even Rhamondre Stevenson , who scored the game-winning touchdown, didn’t know the Patriots secured a spot in the playoffs.

For Mike Vrabel’s Patriots, clinching a spot isn’t enough because there’s still work to be done.

“Oh, I don’t know. We ain’t thinking about that,” Diggs said. “You take it one game at a time, that stuff will figure itself out. But obviously, you work hard for that. But we aiming for it. I’m aiming for it. I’ve been in the playoffs a lot, so I just wanted to bring this team along. I know it’s been a rough couple of seasons, but they have all the talent, they got all the potential. So we just trying to see through that potential and help things or see things come to fruition.”

For the Patriots, the turnaround this season has been remarkable.

In one season with Vrabel as the head coach, the Patriots have tripled their win total from the last two years. Following back-to-back 4-win seasons, the 12-3 Patriots are currently the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

On Sunday, after a hard-fought comeback win, players said their goal isn’t just to make the playoffs. Instead, the Patriots weren’t overly celebrating after the Ravens’ win because their current goal is to win the AFC East.

“We are going to try to win the division. We are going to focus on that,” Vrabel said. “We just take it one day at a time, and whatever happens, we figure out what is the best thing for the team. I’m excited. All the credit goes to the players. When we win, it is because of them.”

Sunday night’s game was gut-wrenching. The Patriots lost a laundry list of players to injury and needed contributions from everyone to come back and beat the Ravens.

In the fourth quarter, Stevenson scored a game-winning touchdown after teammate TreVeyon Henderson was ruled out with a concussion. In the next drive, with the Ravens hoping to come back, Chaisson forced a fumble on Zay Flowers to secure the win and a spot in the postseason.

Players left Baltimore happy, but no one was really talking about the playoffs.

“I didn’t know we did that, that’s awesome,” Stevenson said. “The playoffs are fun. That’s what we play for, so yes, we’re a competitive team, so I think we’re ready for it.”

“Nah, I’m not gonna lie. I didn’t know either,” Chaisson added. “We didn’t focus on that, man. We were just focused on 1-0 and beating the Ravens. I think it’s always a phenomenal opportunity to go to the dance and be in that party. So shout out to the guys. Shout out to everybody for bouncing back.”

More Patriots Content