Patriots Star Throws Shade at Jerod Mayo With Strong Mike Vrabel Opinion at Patriots OTA

“We all have to work together to achieve a goal,” standing on the podium in front of the media, Mike Vrabel said this on June 10. This clearly tells that the New England Patriots are preparing for a pivotal 2025 season. In fact, the new head coach has established his reputation as a quality leader for the next season, who can instill a hard-nosed mentality in his team. Perhaps, that’s the reason why Tom Brady described Vrabel as a “great coach” and a “great leader” for the organization. But it’s not only the legendary QB who sees fire and good leadership in the 49-year-old’s eyes. There’s someone in the team who feels the same.

One of the Patriots’ rising stars made it clear that he believes Mike Vrabel is the real leader in Foxborough, as he arguably took a subtle dig at former head coach Jerod Mayo. Defensive lineman Keion White considers Vrabel, the newly added assistant and former Titans head coach, as the ultimate coach. But why?

Following a surprising firing in Tennessee, Vrabel has now joined the Patriots staff. And, he is already making an impact, as evident from White’s statement. The X account of @SavageSports took to lay out Keion White’s perspective “on the difference between this year and last year on the Patriots.” After Tuesday’s OTA session, White, who recorded 43 solo tackles, 39 assists, and 6 sacks last year, made a strong statement saying, “Now, I feel like I have a coach.”

Keion White on the difference between this year and last year on the Patriots:

Per: @cpriceglobe

“Now, I feel like I have a coach,” White said after Tuesday’s minicamp session.

“I like Mike. He leads with work. I can respect that,” White added. “It’s similar to Bill… pic.twitter.com/Om9UkJmL3f

— Savage (@SavageSports_) June 11, 2025

As obvious, White was talking about Vrabel, expressing his reported frustration with Mayo without mentioning him directly. Jerod Mayo became Bill Belichick’s de facto successor. There was a succession clause in his contract that made him the Patriots’ next head coach after Belichick’s departure. However, after his 4-13 season, shortly after the team’s Week 18 win, Robert Kraft fired him from the team.

And now, for White, Vrabel is bringing a Belichick-level standard to the team. He said, “I like Mike. He leads with work. I can respect that. It’s similar to Bill [Belichick], just with a younger face. I think we all know how I feel about that; I liked him.” Well, no doubt, the frustration is real. In fact, what happened in 2024 could really increase the frustration level of the team, especially after a 40–7 blowout to the Chargers.

Nevertheless, after such a disastrous record, three-time SB winner, Mike Vrabel, was brought in to restore order. But comparing him with six-time Super Bowl champ, Bill Belichick, sounds a bit too early.

Keion White sees something special in Mike Vrabel?

Keion White is impressed, particularly with Mike Vrabel’s no-nonsense style and how he treats every player equally, regardless of status or contract. White remarked, “He says all the time he’s going to be hardest on his best players. And so he’s shown that… nobody is bigger than the program.” He was particularly referring to how Vrabel called out Milton Williams during OTAs. And, it is indeed a huge factor for a team that struggled with accountability last year.

Mike Vrabel himself said it before departing from summer break. “It’s critical they come back in shape… players have to hold up their end of the bargain,” he said. Vrabel’s new defensive scheme brings versatility to his role. He does not want to remain conservative. But intends to experiment to shift White inside, Milton Williams outside, and pair both with Christian Barmore.

Vrabel brings with him six years of head coaching experience, a 54–45 record, and a solid reputation. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Robert Kraft’s age-old relationship with Vrabel and his leadership qualities made him the obvious candidate when Mayo’s future was under scrutiny. So, when Vrabel was interviewing with the New York Jets, Kraft wasn’t going to let a Patriots legend go to a division rival.

Training camp kicks off July 22, with the first open practice set for July 23. The Patriots will host a joint practice with the Commanders on August 6, as fans will get an early look at competitive reps. In the front office, the team has also hired former 49ers analyst Ekene Olekanma as Director of Coaching Analytics, while veteran guard Wes Schweitzer has officially been placed on the Reserve/Retired List, as his career is closing. But all these changes aren’t shifting the momentum of the Patriots!

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