New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was left a little bloodied after intervening in a skirmish between members of his team and the Washington Commanders on Wednesday.
According to multiple reports, tensions briefly boiled over during a joint practice involving New England and Washington, and Vrabel had something to show from it.
Vrabel, who played 14 years in the NFL, retired in 2011, but he doesn’t always act like it.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported in April the coach asked offensive tackle Will Campbell, whom the Patriots selected fourth overall, to display some of his blocking acumen by punching him in the chest. Vrabel, who had a blocking pad for protection, was knocked off his feet.
“It was amazing,” Campbell subsequently said of the moment. “Him and some of the other staff came in, and we had a great workout, got some good work in. They taught me some new stuff, and yeah, I mean, I got him. I’m not going to lie; I got him on the ground. I know we had a great lunch after, a bunch of great guys. I’m just super excited for this opportunity.”
There’s no question the internal opinion of Vrabel will be even higher after Wednesday.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini explained on The Bill Simmons Podcast that Vrabel’s general reputation doesn’t do him enough credit. He’s a “details psycho” and not a “rah-rah guy” who is effective because he motivates his players.
Still, Jerod Mayo seemed to struggle with connecting to the locker room despite being a former Patriots player and having worked on the coaching staff. His tenure was doomed from the start.
That’s not an issue early on during Vrabel’s reign.
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