Mike Vrabel doesn't want his Patriots players fighting in practice, like he did nearly 30 years ago
The New England Patriots put pads on for the first time of training camp on Monday, giving players an opportunity to lay some real licks on each other for the first time this summer. Head coach Mike Vrabel wants those licks to remain between the numbers and before the whistle -- not after it.
It's a total "Do as I say, not as I do" situation for Vrabel, who found himself getting into some fisticuffs during his first-ever padded practice as a player back nearly three decades ago. Vrabel entered camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997 as a third-round pick out of Ohio State looking to make a name for himself at the pro level. It led him to a throw-down session with veteran tight end Mitch Lyons on the first day the pads went on.
Almost 30 years later and now into his second stint as an NFL head coach, Vrabel is telling his Patriots players not to follow in his footsteps.
"I don't want any of us doing that," Vrabel said ahead of Monday's practice in Foxboro. "It was a long time ago."
Vrabel didn't seem particularly thrilled about the tale of his training camp tussle resurfacing, but said he believes he won the bout. More importantly, it led to an NFL veteran approaching him for the first time since he had been drafted.
"It's a good story about, don't use the fight, but about a veteran player," Vrabel said Monday. "[Linebacker] Greg Lloyd was a very dominant player, an imposing figure. I got drafted in April and he didn't say a word to me through OTAs. I'm on the defense, mind you. He didn't say a word to me the entire offseason."
Then Vrabel threw down with Lyons in practice, and Lloyd had some advice for him in the locker room a short time later.
"I'm exhausted after practice, and I see this shadow come over me as I'm sitting in the locker room. He's in his deep voice, and he's like, 'Yeah, the next time, you want to come up underneath the face mask [with your punches].' And I was like, 'You just now are going to talk to me?' He's like, 'Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you weren't like a punk, and then I would talk to you.' So, it's a good example of just a veteran making sure that rookies kind of earn their stripes a little bit," said Vrabel.
There were no fists thrown at New England's first padded practice on Monday, though tempers can heat up as the temperature increases and games quickly approach. The Patriots will get to hit someone else next week when the Washington Commanders come to town for a joint practice on Wednesday, followed by their preseason opener next Friday night.
Vrabel wants to see his team throw plenty of hits in practice -- he just wants to see them come in the field of play.
"We want to be able to practice the same way we have to play, which is physical and within the rules," Vrabel said Monday. "Have a great play demeanor, finish through the whistle and all those things. If you throw a punch, you're going to get kicked out of the game, which is going to cost the team. So, I don't anticipate any of that.
"I want us to celebrate with our team and the defensive unit, celebrate with each other. Offensive unit, get excited and celebrate with each other," added Vrabel. "Not get into the taunting and the things that we can't have during the game."