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The New England Patriots' second preseason game went down to the wire. Max Brosmer and the Minnesota Vikings were driving their way down the field late in the fourth quarter. However, demoted Patriots safety Kyle Dugger made a game-sealing interception.
The game should have been over then, but the ball popped out of his hands, much to Mike Vrabel's chagrin.
#Patriots S Kyle Dugger made the game-ending interception in the end zone but nearly ruined it with a fumble.
The veteran has had a roller coaster of an offseason and the fact that he was on the field for the final play of a preseason game says a lot.pic.twitter.com/2XUx87rMYl
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) August 16, 2025
Luckily for Vrabel and New England, referees determined that Dugger was down before losing the ball. The Patriots escaped with a 20-12 win on the road. The near mistake is just another addition to a long list of errors made by Dugger this offseason. For a player trying to earn a starting spot on Vrabel's team, the safety's efforts have seen him in the spotlight many times.
Patriots fans took to social media to react to the play and Dugger's standing on the team.
“Only guy on this team that can get an interception and still get hate lmao,” one fan commented.
“Dugger makes a nice play to intercept the ball but he needs to go down IMMEDIATELY. You'd think a $14 million dollar player would know that,” another said.
“Dugger should be cut just for that interception. Go down!” one fan demanded.
“Cutting Kyle Dugger barely saves the Patriots any money, but he’s being steadily demoted and playing in the 4th quarter right now. Zero trade value,” another fan pointed out.
“I think Dugger is on the bubble and a likely cut. This is the year to eat a cap hit because of how much they are under the cap,” one fan predicted.
The Patriots are one of many teams that experts think could take a step forward this season. Vrabel has done his best to change the team's culture. However, players like Dugger have become the target for a lot of discourse as New England prepares for the regular season.
