FOXBOROUGH – In the aftermath of the Patriots’ win over the New York Jets, Mike Vrabel spoke to his players in the locker room inside Gillette Stadium.
After asking the team to give “one clap” for a first-quarter pile-push touchdown, the Patriots coach brought up Dell Pettus. With the Jets trying to make a comeback, the second-year safety broke up Justin Fields’ pass on fourth down, forcing a turnover on downs, and securing the team’s win.
After the team traded veteran Kyle Dugger, Pettus was bumped up the depth chart and given more opportunity. On Thursday night, he took advantage of it, and after the game, Vrabel honored him in front of his teammates.
“You can file Dell under the players who take advantage of their opportunity,” Vrabel said. “We know what that leads to – more opportunities.”
For Pettus, the chance to make an impact meant everything.
The 24-year-old entered Thursday night’s game with 34 defensive snaps played compared to 189 snaps on special teams. He played three snaps last weekend against Tampa Bay and one the week before that against Atlanta. Pettus didn’t play on defense in the previous four games before that.
On Thursday, he was on the field in crunch time and made a great play.
“I’m just thankful and I feel very blessed,” Pettus said. “I’ve always felt blessed for the opportunity and being in this league. Every day you’re here, it’s a blessing. When you’re winning games, it’s easy to watch your teammates do well. But that also makes you want to rise to the occasion to prove that you belong and you’re one of those guys, too.”
An undrafted free agent out of Troy, Pettus came to New England as a small-school prospect hoping for a chance to live his dream. In 2024, he established himself as the best rookie free agent in New England and made the team’s roster.
This season, Pettus started the year as a core special teamer behind starters Jaylinn Hawkins, Craig Wilson, and Dugger, the veteran backup. But when the Patriots traded Dugger to Pittsburgh, it cleared a new role for Pettus to be the team’s top backup safety.
He said he felt prepared for the opportunity, and with 2:02 left in the game, the ball came his way with Fields trying to hit tight end Jeremy Ruckert for a first down. That’s when Pettus stepped up.
“I’ve been watching guys this whole year making plays in our secondary,” Pettus said. “I just want to make sure there’s no drop off when I’m in the game.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.