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What kind of NFL head coach gets knocked to the ground by a rookie lineman during a job interview… and then laughs about it? That’s not a trick question—it’s Mike Vrabel, and this is exactly the kind of culture he’s trying to build in New England. Grit over ego. Sweat over speeches. If you thought the Patriots were going to ease into a new era after the Belichick years, think again.
Vrabel isn’t watching from the sidelines. He’s out there in full chest gear, running linebacker and special teams drills like he’s still on the Titans’ roster, not running the Patriots. And if you’re Drake Maye, last year’s rookie QB with a rocky debut, you don’t just get handed a leadership role—you earn it, one high-pressure snap count at a time. Vrabel literally lined the offense up at the goal line and made Maye call out cadences before every sprint. Then he made him do it again. And again. And then threw in a dummy count just to test his composure. That’s not just coaching—it’s trial by fire.
And it’s not like Maye came in riding a wave of momentum. Four picks in two series during the first 11-on-11 sessions? That’s the kind of start that rattles most young QBs. But Maye didn’t fold. He adjusted. He stopped turning the ball over. He calmed down. And maybe, just maybe, he started becoming the quarterback Vrabel believes he can be.
This isn't just about one quarterback or one coach—it's about reshaping the entire identity of a franchise. Vrabel wants a team that fights for every yard, and now he's showing exactly what that looks like. Maye’s learning fast that leadership isn't about speeches in the locker room. It’s about doing the hard stuff first, taking the blame when things go wrong, and setting the tone before the ball is even snapped.
So yeah, the Patriots might be starting over. But if this offseason is any clue, they're not starting soft.
 

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