How Mike Vrabel reacted to Bill Belichick's reported ban of Patriots scouts at UNC practices
With his first game as Patriots head coach on tap for Sunday, Mike Vrabel is shrugging off reports that Bill Belichick has banned New England scouts from the University of North Carolina.
The Las Vegas Raiders are Vrabel's main concern at the moment. He'll worry about getting information on Tar Heels players when he has to worry about getting information on Tar Heels players.
Belichick's feud with his former employer has taken an interesting turn, with the new UNC head coach reportedly banning Patriots scouts from attending Tar Heels practices in Chapel Hill. Usually, colleges welcome pro teams and their scouts with open arms as they look to get their players to the NFL.
While Belichick is reportedly limiting the access of the 31 other teams in the NFL at UNC practices, the Patriots aren't getting any access. Vrabel was asked for his reaction on the report Friday morning at Gillette Stadium.
Vrabel on Belichick's reported ban on Patriots' scouts
"That's an individual choice," Vrabel said of Belichick's reported ban. "We'll cross that bridge when we start looking at players."
Vrabel didn't seem interested in ruffling any feathers with his former head coach in New England on Friday. He's much more focused on the depth of his team and how the Patriots will match up with the Raiders on Sunday.
"We're going to focus on our football team," he said. "I think that's their prerogative to make the decisions they feel like are best for them. I think we'll have to find other ways to get the information for any players we want to look at, at North Carolina."
While it didn't look like the Tar Heels had much to offer NFL teams as they were trounced, 48-14, by TCU in Belichick's debut Monday night, the Patriots did dip into the school's talent pool in 2024 when they took quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall selection. UNC running back Omarion Hampton was a first-round pick in April, when he was taken 22nd overall by the L.A. Chargers.
Overall, New England has drafted six Tar Heels players throughout the franchise's history. The team also signed undrafted UNC defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie over the offseason, but he was cut from New England's practice squad earlier this week.
Patriots opener is "about the players"
While Belichick was always one to praise his players in New England and give them all the glory, his grudge with the Patriots could hurt his players in the end. He's making it much harder for one of the 32 NFL teams to see them in action and gather as much info as they need for the drafting process.
Vrabel, meanwhile, is putting the players first in New England. On Friday, he was asked about his own emotions heading into his first game as Patriots head coach.
He said Sunday is not about him, but the guys taking the field.
"I think it's going to be about the players. I think that's the most important thing is to make it about the players," Vrabel responded. "I appreciate you asking about me. But you know, I think [my wife] Jen's excited, I think [my son] Carter's excited.
"So, make it about the players. That's the most important thing. They put a lot of work in. We ask a lot of them. And then I feel like the games are their opportunity to go play, and I want to make sure that we exemplify that and we give them what we need to be ready, but also prepared," he added.
Tune in to New England's Week 1 clash with the Las Vegas Raiders on WBZ-TV -- the television home of the New England Patriots! Pregame coverage kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with Patriots GameDay, the Pats and the Raiders go at it at 1 p.m., and we'll wrap it all up on Patriots 5th Quarter on TV38 after the game.