Playing for Bill Belichick was a passion for Keion White. Playing for Jerod Mayo, though? As was made evident during Tuesday’s post-practice media availability, not at all.
However, what is the defensive end’s opinion of the Patriots’ new head coach after three years? It seems that White has a strong opinion of Mike Vrabel
, whom he likened to Belichick.“I’m fond of Mike,” White said to reporters. “He leads by example.” That’s something I can respect. It resembles Bill, however with a youthful appearance. I liked him, and I think we all understand how I feel about it.
“So, knowing that you have a tough guy in charge who won’t hesitate to get into a fistfight with you in a back alley is reassuring.”
White recorded five sacks during the previous season while playing under Mayo, following one sack as a rookie under Belichick in 2023. Although White’s overall stats improved, his output declined in the second part of the season as he clashed with the coaching staff.
White is optimistic about the upcoming season, though, as he may play with Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, a newbie.
He remarked, “Even in early-down situations, we have really good guys on the inside who can get after the passer.” That somewhat alters what I am able to do. Be more bold and less conservative.
White still has a lot to prove in the NFL, even if he appeared to be a standout in his first two seasons. The 2023 second-round pick may have a make-or-break season.