‘That’s their prerogative’: Mike Vrabel responds to Bill Belichick’s ban on Patriots scouts at UNC
"That's an individual choice and we'll cross that bridge when we start looking at players," Vrabel said.
FOXBOROUGH – Patriots coach Mike Vrabel offered a brief response to the reported ban that New England scouts are facing at the University of North Carolina.
According to multiple reports, UNC coach Bill Belichick is not allowing Patriots scouts to attend the school’s football practices or games.
“Oh, no, that’s an individual choice and we’ll cross that bridge when we start looking at players,” Vrabel said. “I want to focus on our football team, and that’s their prerogative to make the decisions they feel like are best for them. And then we’ll have to find other ways to get the information for any players that we want to look at at North Carolina.”
Belichick, who took the North Carolina job last December after a year of pursuing media opportunities, spent 24 years coaching the Patriots.
He won six Super Bowls, but had a string of ugly seasons towards the end of his time in New England that led to him being fired. Apparently, the relationship between Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft remains frosty.
Kraft and Belichick held a point press conference announcing that Belichick’s departure was the result of a mutual parting of ways. After Belichick left, Kraft went on “The Breakfast Club” and said that the decision wasn’t mutual. Belichick was fired, Kraft said.
“Why would we let them in our home after how he’s been treated since he left? ” an unnamed UNC source told the Boston Herald earlier this week. “We will help our players, but being treated fairly is a two-way street.”
The story was first reported by former NFL scout John Middlekauff, who called the ban “funny, but also kind of embarrassing.”
Belichick’s Tar Heels were demolished during a 48-14 season opener loss at home against TCU Monday night. The 48 points were the most a Belichick-coached team had ever given up.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who starred at UNC before being selected No. 3 overall by New England in the 2024 Draft, called Belichick’s debut “tough to watch.” He isn’t worried yet, he said, and still plans to tune into games.
The lopsided loss marked a shaky start to Belichick’s college coaching career. He has extensive experience in the NFL, but had never coached a college football game before TCU’s triumph.
Three of the final four seasons that Belichick spent with the Patriots were losing seasons. A dismal 4-13 mark in 2023 led to his firing. His successor, Jerod Mayo, posted an identical record in 2024, and was also fired. This led the Patriots to bring in Vrabel.
According to the Herald report, Patriots scouts are able to request film and call UNC for information about players.
But, unless something changes, it appears they’ll have to watch the Tar Heels from a distance.
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