Patriots coach Mike Vrabel knows his defense is going to have a tough time rattling Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold in Super Bowl LX.
Vrabel said on Tuesday morning that he is impressed with the way Darnold handles pressure, and that he’s not a quarterback who struggles with the pass rush closing in.
“I think he’s handled it well,” Vrabel said. “There’s a willingness to stand in the pocket and there’s a willingness to progress through. His courage to stand in there, the Rams nailed him and he completed an unbelievable pass to Cooper [Kupp] on the sideline. He didn’t shy away, didn’t duck, didn’t fade back, he stood there and faced the fire, which is what you have to do in this league if you’re going to be an elite quarterback.”
Darnold was sacked on a career-high 7.7 percent of his sacks during the regular season, so he certainly takes plenty of hits. But Vrabel is impressed with how Darnold keeps getting back up.
