There's been a noticeable shift in tone around the New England Patriots since Mike Vrabel took over as head coach. And one NFL reporter got a firsthand taste of it to open training camp.
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During his media availability on Monday, Vrabel cut off longtime Boston Globe reporter Ben Volin, calling him out for asking a question the coach had just answered.
"I mean, whether you were in a coma when I answered Tom's question or typing on your phone or tweeting, I don't know," Vrabel said. "But I spent five minutes answering that question. And I could go back through it, but I'd rather not."
The question had to do with player conditioning. Vrabel added that he'd know more once padded practices got underway and sarcastically said he hoped to only answer the question once.
Mike Vrabel already in midseason form.@NBC10 #NEPats pic.twitter.com/rFQegNCohB
— Kevin Moore (@KMooreTV) July 22, 2025
It was a classic Vrabel moment — blunt, sarcastic, and very different from the vibe under Jerod Mayo, who lacked prior head-coaching experience. Vrabel brings plenty of it.
He previously spent six seasons as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans, leading them to four straight winning seasons and an appearance in the 2019 AFC Championship. He was named AP Coach of the Year in 2021.
After parting ways with the Titans following the 2023 season, Vrabel took a short-term consulting role with the Browns before landing the Patriots job in January.
And clearly, he hasn't lost his edge. Volin and the rest of the New England media may want to be a bit more locked in moving forward. The Mike Vrabel era has officially begun and he's not here to babysit.
