Mike Vrabel has a thing for breaking up fights.
When a fight broke out during a joint practice between the Patriots and the Vikings on Thursday, Vrabel was seen rushing into the pile to try and quell the altercation.
Vrabel did not appear to get roughed up from the video, but was on the ground for a moment before the players were eventually separated.
It’s widely unexpected for a coach to physically break up a fight between the players, but Vrabel, a former Pro Bowl linebacker, is seemingly up for the task, with this being the second time this preseason he has entered the scuffle.
The first fight, which happened last week during a joint practice against the Commanders, left Vrabel bloodied after he “physically jumped in to try to break it up,” according to MassLive.
ESPN later reported that Vrabel had a bag of ice on his cheek following the incident.
Vrabel, who turned 50 years old on Thursday, has received praise from his players for his energy and culture he has brought to the Patriots.
“That’s what we’re trying to build, and it starts with the head coach,” quarterback Drake Maye told reporters, per MassLive. “The intensity, bringing it every day, taking no crap when we’re out there on the field … But from mentality, I like it. I think that’s what you want. I almost got in there, but another day maybe.”
The team also celebrated Vrabel’s 50th birthday on Thursday by gifting him a cake resembling his No. 50 jersey when he played for the Patriots.
New England hired Vrabel back in January to replace Jerod Mayo following a last-place finish in the AFC East with a 4-13 record.
Back in May, Vrabel told reporters that he does not care about the team’s performance last season, opting to look ahead.
“Somebody asked me, ‘Are you worried about what went wrong last year?’ Why the f–k would I care about what happened last year?” Vrabel said then, as transcribed by NFL.com. “I’m worried about what’s going to go right today and tomorrow and the next day. We’re not worried about what went wrong. We’re focused on what’s going to go right.”
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