Mike Vrabel shares his visions and goals as head coach of Patriots
FOXBORO – The New England Patriots introduced Mike Vrabel as the 16th head coach in franchise history during a press conference Monday at noon inside Gillette Stadium. Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls during his eight seasons as a Patriots player, is eager to get to work with his former team.
"It was clear to me, my family, and my soul that this was the place I wanted to be," Vrabel said of his return to New England. "I want to galvanize this team, this building, and our fans. I want to be a program that provides ownership and accountability for each other, one they'll be proud of and fight for."
Patriots owner Robert Kraft said it was fitting to introduce Vrabel inside the Sports Illustrated Pavilion at Gillette Stadium on Monday. It was just 15 months ago that Kraft honored the former linebacker in that same space as a Patriots Hall of Famer.
"In the interview process, Mike showed us that he has a very deep understanding of our current team. Most importantly, he had a clear and focused strategy to get us back to a championship way that is so important to all of us, but also something that I think our fanbase really deserves and expects," Kraft said Monday.
Vrabel will likely tout his personal success with the organization with his new players, but he won't expect it to lead to success in the present.
"The banners aren't going to help us win, but they're a great reminder of what it takes to win. The unselfishness and sacrifice it takes to win," he said. "Those banners won't give us an advantage on the field, but a blueprint for how hard we have to work."
What culture will Mike Vrabel establish in New England?
Vrabel said he is going to remove "entitlement" from the team, and hopes players feel that they need to earn their right to be in the building and on the football field each and every day.
"Everyone in this building is going to understand and believe that their job is critically important for our success, and it's going to be how can I help you in order to help the players? Our players will respect, and they will appreciate, and they will be grateful for the opportunity that they have here and the people that work in this building," said Vrabel.
"We're going to earn the right to be here every day. We're going to move entitlement from our football team," he continued. "We're going to get everything that we've earned from the head coach to the position coaches, all the way down to the players. We're going to earn the right to be here every single day. I always say that -- I don't want to get into too many messages that will be geared for the players, but I hold those conversations -- those are special conversations between the coaches and the players, but we want to treat every player the same way they treat the team, and we want to treat every employee the same way they treat the team. If they care about the team and they come here with a great attitude and a willingness to work and help the team, I've asked Robert to do everything that we can for them, to support them and their families. That's the type of environment that I want to build. I'm excited about it."
As for the team's culture, Vrabel wants to establish a team that is technically and fundamentally sound, one that can take advantage of any situation in front of them.
"We just want to be good enough to take advantage of bad football. That's where we're going to start," he said. "That's what I've tried to tell all the players is, right now, I don't know if we're good enough to take advantage of bad football. We're undefeated right now, but if we can just work towards taking advantage of bad football and being good enough to, when somebody makes a mistake, capitalizing on it and not being the ones that make the mistakes, and focusing on the little things and the details and helping them do their job better, that's a great place to start."
One thing Vrabel won't do is ask players to do something they're not comfortable with. He wants to make sure that everyone feels comfortable discussing the team's plan and willing to provide feedback -- especially if they don't agree with how it's being done. He's more than happy to hear some productive pushback from anyone in the building.
"We don't always want to be on the same page," he said. "That's not the environment that we want to create. But we want to have a shared vision, and there's also different ways to get there. And I'm embracing that everyone's going to have a different personality.
"I don't want my staff to be like me, I don't want all our players to be similar," Vrabel explained. "We're going to have diverse ideas, and that's critical to have those types of conversation."
Vrabel believes his experiences as a player will help him connect with anyone who walks into the locker room in New England. He didn't want to put a timetable on success, but said this approach will lead to winning on the field.
"Our goal will to be to win the AFC East, to host playoff games, and compete for championships," said Vrabel. "That's going to be the expectations, and we're going to work like crazy, we're going to compete like crazy, we're going to give the players a plan, and they're going to form an identity on the field that they're going to be proud of."
Mike Vrabel's plan for Drake Maye
Vrabel didn't provide any updates on his coaching staff, but he does have a vision for quarterback Drake Maye heading into his second NFL season. He mentioned VP of player personnel Eliot Wolf a number of times on Monday, an indication that Wolf will remain as a head decisionmaker in New England.
As for his best plan to continue Drake Maye's development, Vrabel wants to see the quarterback protect the football and make big plays. He's going to put the quarterback in a position to succeed on both fronts.
"Put great people around him. We have to – my involvement will be as it relates to game management and situational awareness and where we are on the field and developing him as a leader of the offense," Vrabel explained. "When they call a play, you want everyone to believe in it and that it will score a touchdown. Drake is going to be his own person, but I'll give him some things I feel are necessary for us to win football games.
"We have to be a very efficient passing team," Vrabel added. "There are a lot of ways to do that. By protecting the middle of the pocket ... protecting the football, being aggressive and not reckless."
As for the players he hopes to bring in, Vrabel has a clear vision.
"Eliot is going to laugh because I'm going to say good ones -- an inside joke between him and I during the interview process," Vrabel joked. "We're going to ask our players to put the team first, to know what to do, and play fast and aggressive. That's the vision for the type of player.
"Winners come in all shapes and sizes. Leaders will identify themselves. I know our staff and ability to create winners and competitors is easer to create leaders. Leaders will define the culture and they'll be the ones that drive the results we're all after," said Vrabel.
Who is Mike Vrabel?
Vrabel was a linebacker who played his college football at Ohio State. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but made a name for himself in New England.
The 49-year-old won three Super Bowls with the Patriots from 2001-2008, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 2007. Vrabel was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2023.
In 2011, Vrabel returned to Ohio State as linebacker's coach, and remained at the school until he joined Bill O'Brien's Houston Texans staff in 2014.
Vrabel got his first head coaching job in 2018 with the Tennessee Titans. In six seasons, Vrabel went 54-45 with the Titans, earning three playoff berths and leading the team to the AFC Championship Game in 2019. He was named NFL Coach of the Year in 2021, but after a 6-11 season in 2023 was fired.
The Cleveland Browns hired Vrabel as a consultant in 2024, and now he returns to New England in hopes of turning around his former team.
Despite back-to-back seasons near the bottom of the standings, there's reason for optimism in New England. Vrabel's new team will have the No. 4 pick in the NFL Draft, about $130 million in cap space, and a promising young quarterback in Drake Maye.