Just lately-hired New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel earned three Tremendous Bowl rings enjoying for the membership beneath former coach Invoice Belichick and later competed towards Belichick whereas serving as head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018–23.
Throughout a Monday look on “The Pat McAfee Present,” Belichick reacted to his former employer hiring Vrabel shortly after it fired first-year coach Jerod Mayo.
“I’ve stayed in very shut contact with Mike,” Belichick defined, as shared by Lauren Campbell of MassLive. “So I’ve a ton of respect for Mike. I feel he does an awesome job. He prepares his groups properly. They’re superb in situational soccer, they’re powerful, they’re aggressive, they’re sensible — similar to he was as a participant.”
It was Vrabel’s Titans that defeated Belichick’s Patriots in a wild-card playoff sport in January 2020. Quarterback Tom Brady in the end left New England as a free agent in March of that 12 months, and the Patriots missed the playoffs 3 times throughout 4 seasons earlier than staff proprietor Robert Kraft parted methods with Belichick.
Mayo labored on Belichick’s employees from 2019-23, however their relationship seemingly became a bit frosty throughout Belichick’s ultimate season with New England. This previous fall, they bought into considerably of a war of words after Mayo referred to the Patriots as “smooth” after a loss.
On Sunday, former Titans offensive sort out Taylor Lewan noted that New England’s tradition beneath Vrabel “goes to be unimaginable.” Belichick touched upon that topic on Monday.
“I feel groups that he’s coached and the positions he’s coached observe very a lot in his enjoying model and his preparation model,” Belichick added. “So, I really like Mike. I really like every part that he stands for as a soccer coach, and I’ve lots of respect for him. I’m certain he’ll do an awesome job.”
In the meantime, Vrabel acknowledged throughout his introductory information convention on Monday that following in Belichick’s footsteps with New England is a “distinctive” expertise.
“Let’s be actual for a minute,” Vrabel stated, as shared by Amin Touri of The Boston Globe. “Having performed for him, competing towards him, and likewise having a friendship with Invoice alongside the way in which…I feel it’s particular, it’s distinctive, having performed right here, realizing Invoice, however once more, we have to give attention to issues which might be going to assist us win now, assist our gamers, and like I stated, provoke the constructing, the staff and our fanbase. There’s additionally issues that I’m going to attempt to clarify to our gamers, that there are issues which might be attention-grabbing and issues which might be vital. I feel me having performed for Invoice is attention-grabbing. I simply don’t know if it’s vital to serving to our gamers.”
Vrabel is a one-time Related Press Coach of the 12 months Award winner who, in contrast to Mayo, proved he can information a membership to a convention championship sport look away from Belichick. Belichick will all the time be a Patriots legend, however it feels like Vrabel shall be closing the door on the franchise’s earlier period.
