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Mike Vrabel recalled getting into a training camp fight as a rookie in 1997
"It’s a good example of just a veteran making sure that rookies kind of earn their stripes, I guess."
Mike Vrabel, now in his first season as Patriots‘ head coach, was once himself a rookie in the NFL.
And back in 1997, when Vrabel was an incoming third-round pick by the Steelers trying to make a positive first impression, things didn’t always go the way he wanted it to. The former Ohio State standout got into a fight on the first day of padded practice with Pittsburgh.
It was a fact that he was reminded of on Monday prior to New England’s own first training camp practice with pads. When asked by MassLive’s Karen Guregian at his pre-practice press conference if it was safe to assume he doesn’t want rookies doing that in 2025, Vrabel expanded on the answer.
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“I don’t want any of us doing that,” he joked. Vrabel then quickly replied “nope” when asked if he could offer more detail from that earlier moment in his career. Eventually, however, he reflected on the episode.
Queried if he has specifically told players to not fight, the New England coach provided a detailed explanation.
“Of course,” Vrabel replied. “We want to be able to practice the same way we have to play, which is physical and within the rules. 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,” he added. “I want us to celebrate with our team and with the defensive unit, celebrate with each other. Offensive unit, get excited and celebrate with each other, not get into the taunting and the things that we can’t have during the game.”
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Regarding his own fight from 1997, Vrabel finally took the bait when asked by Guregian if he won the fight.
“I think I did,” he said. “It’s a good story about…don’t use the fight, but about a veteran player. Greg Lloyd was a very dominant player, imposing figure. I got drafted in April, and he didn’t say a word to me through OTAs. And I’m on the defense, mind you.
“So he didn’t say a word to me the entire offseason. We go to training camp. There’s a fight with me and a tight end, and I’m exhausted after practice, and I see this shadow come over me as I’m sitting in the locker room,” Vrabel recalled, “and he’s in his deep voice, and he’s like, ‘Yeah, the next time you want to come up underneath the face mask?’ 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.’ It’s a good example of just a veteran making sure that rookies kind of earn their stripes, I guess, a little bit.”
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Vrabel, drafted by the Steelers, played with Pittsburgh from 1997-2000. But after not becoming a starter, he was allowed to test free agency. Bill Belichick and the Patriots gratefully swooped in to sign him, and the edge-rusher became an important part of the early part of New England’s 21st century dynasty (winning three Super Bowls in four seasons).
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