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Tedy Bruschi joked about Mike Vrabel holding a grudge against Titans ahead of matchup vs. Patriots
Vrabel was fired by Tennessee in 2024.
Analysts’ reaction to Patriots winning streak: Following another Patriots win on Sunday — the team’s third in a row — analysts dolled out plenty of praise in reaction to New England’s ascension to first place in the AFC East.
The 4-2 Patriots defeated the Saints, 25-19, with young quarterback Drake Maye once again providing a standout performance (throwing for 261 yards and three touchdowns). Ex-Patriots Damian Woody and Tedy Bruschi (along with former Patriots rival coach, Rex Ryan) provided their takes on a Monday segment of ESPN’s morning show “Get Up!”
“Drake Maye is a top-five quarterback in the league right now,” said Woody, who helped New England win two Super Bowls in the 2000s. “He had his national coming-out party against the Buffalo Bills where it was on display how good this young man is. He continues to get better and better and better. I think New England is ahead of schedule, and I think they’ve got a special kid at the quarterback position.”
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Ryan, given his former role of head coach, naturally cited the work of Mike Vrabel.
“I’m going to tell you the MVP for that team is their coach, Mike Vrabel,” Ryan explained.
“Here’s how I judge it being around this game for 100 years: I want to see the improvement of players,” Ryan explained. “You want to see what kind of coaching it is? How many players on that team have improved, besides 100 percent of them? Every single one of those players got better. That is coaching.”
“Mike Vrabel to me has done an amazing job,” he concluded. “Best hire by far in the offseason.”
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Bruschi, taking stock of the bigger picture — the Patriots entered the 2025 season following back-to-back 4-13 campaigns — noted that it has been a multistep process of rebuilding the once dynastic franchise.
“They had to have a combination of things happen,” Bruschi said. “Free agent signings; Milton Williams, great signing. Rookies; the left side of the offensive line, and the improvement of Drake. It’s all happening in New England.”
Ryan, a longtime New England rival, glumly admitted that he thinks Vrabel and Maye aren’t going away anytime soon.
“Unfortunately they’re going to be around for about 10 years.”
The segment concluded with Bruschi being asked if Vrabel (a man he was teammates with in New England, and remains good friends with) is the type of person to hold a grudge. The question is particularly topical given that the Patriots will play the Titans on Sunday, the team that fired Vrabel in early 2024.
Bruschi smiled before making his response.
“Vrabes is still mad at me for the one time I picked against Tennessee when he was coaching there.”
Trivia: Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi both started Super Bowl XXXVI for the Patriots at linebacker. New England opened the game in a 4-3 defense. Who was the third linebacker on the field?
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(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He began his career with the Rams, eventually playing for the Jets, Patriots, and Giants. He won three Super Bowls in New England during his short but highly successful tenure.
Scores and schedules:
The Bruins lost to the Lightning 4-3 on Monday, Boston’s first loss of the 2025-26 season.
The Bruins will be back on the ice Thursday in Las Vegas against the Golden Knights at 10 p.m.
The Celtics continue their slate of preseason games on Wednesday, facing the Raptors at TD Garden at 7:30 p.m.
The Revolution conclude the 2025 season on Saturday against the Chicago Fire at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
And the Patriots will play the Titans in Tennessee on Sunday at 1 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
- Pontus Holmberg scores one and Anthony Cirelli puts in two more as Lightning beat Bruins 4-3
- Patriots QB Drake Maye brushes aside MVP talk after latest win
- ‘It becomes comical’: Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel criticizes officiating
- Bill Belichick dismisses reports of buyout talk with UNC as ‘categorically false’
- Jaylen Brown proclaims ‘we got enough’ on 2025-26 Celtics roster
- Could Patriots target Chris Olave in a trade? NFL insider gives his take
- Brewers turn potential grand slam by Dodgers slugger Max Muncy into wild double play in NLCS
- Titans fire Mike Vrabel’s replacement ahead of Patriots game
- David Pastrnak’s goal-saving effort made impression on Bruins teammates
- ‘Just watch the effort’: Former Patriots RB highlights Rhamondre Stevenson’s hustle amid tough stretch
The local reaction to a historic first: Cape Verde became the second smallest nation (behind only Iceland) in total population to qualify for a World Cup, which the island nation defeating Eswatini 3-0 on Monday to officially qualify for the 2026 tournament (which will be hosted in North America).
Local fans were, predictably, excited:
On this day: In 2001, the Patriots defeated the Chargers 29-26 in overtime thanks to an Adam Vinatieri field goal. The game was notable for several reasons. It included Tom Brady’s first career touchdown pass in the NFL, a 21-yard toss to Terry Glenn. Having been thrust into the starter’s role unexpectedly after the injury to Drew Bledsoe in Week 2, Brady secured his second straight win. He showed the first real glimpse of his potential, completing 33 passes for 364 yards and a pair of scores.
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And with 36 seconds remaining in the game, Brady threw a three-yard touchdown to Jermaine Wiggins to tie the score. In overtime, New England’s defense forced a three-and-out from Chargers QB Doug Flutie before Brady guided a drive into field goal range. Vinatieri’s game-winning 44-yarder was, in retrospect, an early inkling of the magical run that ensued.
Daily highlight: How could the highlight be anything other than this? A series of improbable events resulted in one of the more bizarre plays to ever happen in an MLB postseason (or regular season) game.
Trivia answer: Roman Phifer
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