After a brutal season under Jerod Mayo, which led Robert Kraft to choose to move on and hire Mike Vrabel right after the season ended, the Patriots were ready for a more Bill Belichick-like head coach again, despite many believing that old-school style was outdated and needed to change.
Vrabel embodies the tough-love persona that works with many players, and it's clear from what we saw during the 2025 season that he resonated well with the team, so much so that they made it all the way to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2018 season.
Beyond his coaching, there was also the proven leadership he showed and the connections he's made with players in his career, which have prompted many free agents and even those on the trade block hoping to make it to New England, including A.J. Brown.
Because Vrabel drafted the receiver during his tenure with the Titans, it was easy for Brown to envision playing for his childhood favorite team and under his most respected head coach. That was one reason fans were immediately excited once he was officially made a Patriot, especially after he butted heads with Eagles coach Nick Sirianni.
And from what we're hearing so far, Vrabel is pushing Brown to the edge, but in a good way, and it could prompt one of his best seasons ever.
A.J. Brown is embracing the tough coaching style of Mike Vrabel already
During the 2025 season, it was beyond clear that Vrabel is a player's coach, a label that often carries a negative connotation in the NFL. But the way the players immediately embraced him and fought for him was an indication of just how much the Patriots had missed that kind of coaching the year before, and arguably when Belichick was still at the helm.
So it's not entirely surprising to hear Brown reveal that Vrabel has been hard on him since joining the team two months ago, and that he has actually been picking on him in meetings, which is only fueling the receiver to get better and "turn up."
#Patriots WR A.J. Brown on reuniting with Mike Vrabel:
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) August 3, 2026
“Vrabes is about to make me turn up. Like make me go to another place. Obviously I wanna be great and I wanna push myself, but when you have a support system from somebody that you respect so much, it’ll give you a little… pic.twitter.com/w5lD9lOJHd
After shocking everyone and not only winning 14 games last year but representing the AFC in the Super Bowl, the expectations are high for the Patriots in Year 2 under Vrabel, and it's clear that he is ramping things up this summer to prepare even harder than before.
That means he's not taking it easy on even the most accomplished players, like Brown, and that's the kind of attitude that Belichick became known for: he treated every player equally, even calling out Tom Brady, who would presumably be immune from harsh criticism.
From what we've seen already, it appears that Vrabel's coaching style is working as he hoped, and players are using it as motivation to get better and be the best that they can be, no matter how seasoned they are.
It could be what continues to fuel this team moving forward and potentially helps push them toward another Super Bowl run. It's clearly working for Brown, who is already feeling fiery early in training camp, and it's fair to assume others are feeling it, too.
We'll have to see how it all works out once the regular season starts, but early results prove the Patriots got it right with Vrabel, and if Brown has a standout first season in New England, then the head coach deserves a lot more credit.
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