When Mike Vrabel was a player with the Patriots, he was the definition of a Swiss army knife who would do whatever was asked of him. Case in point? He caught touchdown passes in two Super Bowls, both of which the Patriots won.
As training camp got underway this week in Foxborough, the Patriots' first-year head coach hasn't been afraid to get on the field and mix it up with his players. The first few days have seen Vrabel get on the field and participate in drills, which has some guys talking a bit of good-natured trash.
Coach told @JabrillPeppers to go check out @TheHall 💀😂 pic.twitter.com/ZOCwdvzFrC
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 24, 2025
After last season's disaster under Jerod Mayo, it's refreshing to see a no-nonsense approach like Vrabel's on and off the field again.
Involvement in drills is a big X-factor for a coach
Vrabel has been through the wars of the NFL as a player, and he knows what it's like to be on a team that went from a cellar-dweller to Super Bowl champions, something the 2001 Patriots accomplished. Vrabel and Drake Maye are shaping up to be valuable leaders, and this is an essential season for both of them.
Peppers' comments were of the good-natured variety, going to show that while Vrabel is a no-nonsense coach, he's not afraid to have fun with his players once in a while. Football doesn't have to be all business, and Vrabel donning that No. 5 penny in practice is something the young guys can look up to.
That attitude has been reflected in the players ' practice, as Maye and Stefon Diggs are both off to strong starts, although it'll be easier to fully evaluate where the players are once pads go on. That's a far cry from what occurred in Foxborough a season ago.
A coach's presence at practice can be a powerful one, and Mayo's wasn't all too empowering a season ago. Vrabel's is, and that could be a big X-factor to the Patriots turning things around this season.