Miami alumnus Andy Borregales had a rough start but a strong finish in his return to South Florida — and he left Hard Rock Stadium with a game ball from his head coach. The New England rookie missed his first two extra points on Sunday, then steadied to hit a 22-yard field goal before halftime and a 53-yarder with 1:47 left as the Patriots beat the Dolphins, 33-27. It was New England's first win in Miami since 2019.
Inside the locker room for Coach Vrabel’s first win 🏈 pic.twitter.com/988U1O0RJn
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 15, 2025
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel backed his kicker after the early misses and explained the late decision to trust him from long distance. "Got to have a lot of confidence in him and I do have a lot of confidence," Vrabel said. He added he initially kept the offense on the field for a fourth-and-2, but a false start pushed New England back and he "immediately just kicked the field goal." He added, "I'm happy for Andy... after the first two, he just settled down," Vrabel said.
New England needed all of it in a game that swung on special teams. Miami took a 27-23 lead on a 74-yard punt return with 7:18 left. Antonio Gibson then returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to flip it back, and Borregales' late 53-yarder created the final cushion.
In the postgame Vrabel recognized six standouts with game balls. The list included Borregales, for his response after those two early PATs. He was joined by Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, Marte Mapu, Milton Williams and acting defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr.
Borregales, a sixth-round pick (No. 182) out of Miami, has shown both volatility and resilience in his first weeks. He missed a 40-yard attempt in Week 1, then opened Week 2 with two missed PATs before delivering two field goals when the Patriots needed them most.