When Mike Vrabel, the head coach of the New England Patriots, returns to the area he called home while playing in the NFL, he doesn’t waste any time in outlining his expectations for his players’ behavior on the field.
Vrabel must have been relieved to go on the field and work with the New England roster members present for OTAs after having to begin his day by responding to the Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs video that has gone viral online.
Making wise choices on and off the field has been a recurring theme throughout Vrabel’s time with the Patriots thus far. On Wednesday, fans witnessed that strategy in action as Vrabel used the occasion to offer second-year wide receiver Javon Baker clear instructions on how he wants his players to behave.
Vrabel is a head coach who doesn’t mince words. During his time with the Tennessee Titans, he made this very evident, and it helped the team achieve success levels they haven’t been able to match since he left. Patriots supporters can anticipate the same kind of attitude in the locker room and on the sidelines now that he has returned home to New England.
Vrabel is establishing the culture he desires in New England, with Baker experiencing that lesson firsthand on the practice field on Wednesday and Diggs undoubtedly hearing the message about the importance of making excellent decisions. Every player on the Patriots roster will understand that no exceptions will be made to the rules, regardless of where they are on the depth chart, after witnessing how Vrabel instructs these players in particular and the stark difference in the message he conveys.
If New England wants to regain its position at the top of the AFC East, it must adopt this mindset, even though it might not show results right away.