Mike Vrabel’s blunt response to report about Titans owner’s grudge

Following the Patriots’ 28-23 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday, New England head coach Mike Vrabel made certain to shout out the numerous followers who traveled to see the staff in Tampa.

Talking with WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday morning, Vrabel was impressed with the massive contingent of Patriots followers within the space.

“We talked about giving them causes to journey, causes to cheer,” he mentioned. “Definitely love seeing everyone across the resort after we acquired there and on the way in which to the sport, and on the sport.

“We’re grateful [for] that,” added Vrabel. “We all know that these journeys aren’t straightforward or low-cost. These are commitments, and we recognize that from our followers.”

New England, now 8-2, is tied with Denver and Indianapolis with the very best file within the AFC. The Patriots face a fast turnaround, with a house sport on Thursday evening in opposition to the Jets.

Because of this, Vrabel mentioned his gamers are already working as if it’s the center of the week. For now, it’s nearly relaxation and recuperation.

“There’s not going to be a lot bodily exercise. It’ll be a standard week at Wiggy’s home,” Vrabel joked, referencing former Patriot (and WEEI co-host) Jermaine Wiggins. “Not going to be a number of bodily exercise.”

“That’s a superb one,” Wiggins laughed. “Not a lot exercise there.”

“All palms are on deck this morning,” Vrabel mentioned of the coaching workers as gamers attempt to get better rapidly. “Every little thing that we will probably do, we’re going to do.”

Listed here are a couple of different subjects Vrabel lined in the course of the interview:

Amy Adams Strunk, and the NFL commerce deadline

The Patriots opted to avoid making any major deals at the recent NFL trade deadline.

Vrabel offered the staff’s perspective on what occurred.

“Everyone within the personnel division labored, and tried to be diligent. However we didn’t really feel like simply including gamers so as to add gamers,” he defined. “There have been conversations about various things, and people issues didn’t work out.

“Simply determined that it wasn’t the precise factor for us, and that’s type of the place it was,” Vrabel continued. “Transferring ahead right here we’ll must — particularly this week on a brief week — work out who now we have, who’s obtainable, and the place we will attempt to add some gamers or use some gamers from the observe squad.”

He was requested a follow-up query a couple of report that emerged following the commerce deadline by way of Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal. Giardi mentioned that he’d heard that “there was some dialog league-wide that Tennessee may be unwilling to make offers with New England.”

The rationale, Giardi defined, was that “the [Titans] proprietor, Amy Adams Strunk, continues to suppose an excessive amount of about how issues ended with Vrabel and isn’t inclined to assist his new staff.”

Vrabel, who was fired by the Titans in early 2024 after main Tennessee for six seasons as head coach, offered a blunt response to the report.

“I haven’t talked to Amy because the day she fired me, so her title and my title shouldn’t be in the identical sentence collectively as a result of I haven’t talked to her because the day she fired me,” he replied.

Coping with comparisons to the previous

One inevitability of present Patriots success are the comparisons with earlier New England soccer groups. Because the 2025 Patriots stack up wins, analysts have been unable to withstand seeing shades of Tom Brady and former Invoice Belichick-coached groups within the present model.

Vrabel prompt that everybody “pump the brakes a bit.”

“No,” he mentioned when requested if he sees parallels with the 2001 Patriots, a staff that he began for, and gained New England’s first Tremendous Bowl. “That staff in 2001, [it] was 5-5. Received 9 video games after Thanksgiving.”

One factor Vrabel did establish with was the significance of a staff beginning to play its greatest in November.

“You recognize, I do suppose that the season begins now,” he mentioned. “The NFL season, that is when it begins, and we’ll must be taking part in our greatest every week to provide ourselves an opportunity. So the comparisons and issues are type of attention-grabbing, however we all know that they’re not that essential.”

One different comparability that’s at present being made is the evaluation of Drake Maye as a successor to Brady. Vrabel famous that he isn’t involved about Maye getting carried away with current success.

“I don’t fear about Drake. I feel that he’s going to remain motivated, keep dedicated to this soccer staff,” mentioned Vrabel. “He understands how tough it’s on this league, and the match-ups and the issues that he has to do. I’m excited that he continues to guide this staff and have success.

“He was already making ready final evening on the airplane,” Vrabel added of Maye preparing for the Jets.

Supporting gamers by way of damage

Simply earlier than the top of the interview, Vrabel was additionally requested a couple of second in the course of the sport on Sunday when defensive sort out Christian Barmore went down with an damage, and Vrabel came to visit to test on him.

As Barmore was nonetheless down and getting evaluated by trainers, Vrabel held his hand. The second did not go unnoticed on social media, with Vrabel receiving credit score.

“These guys put so much on the market for us. That is in regards to the gamers. It at all times will probably be,” Vrabel mentioned in response. “I don’t need to see any of them go down. You recognize what I imply? I don’t.”

“And I used to be getting drained. We had some guys go down yesterday. I used to be getting drained going on the market,” he joked, “but when that’s what it takes, then that’s what it takes.”