Patriots’ Mike Vrabel shrugs off ‘disrespect’ talk before Super Bowl LX

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel

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Matthew Couden

By Matthew Couden

Contributing Writer

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The New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl, despite plenty of naysayers and critics doubting them as a viable contender throughout their season and NFL Playoffs run.

It's been a remarkable story, with quarterback Drake Maye in just his second season as the Patriots' starter, and Mike Vrabel in his first as their head coach. Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, has done a brilliant job coaching the team to an undefeated road record and big wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos.

However, the Patriots find themselves underdogs heading into the championship game, and there are still plenty of doubters who suggest the Seattle Seahawks will win in a landslide after they demolished the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round and then defeated the Los Angeles Rams in a hard-fought NFC Championship Game.

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel

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While appearing on WEEI 93.7 FM's Patriots segment, Vrabel was informed that some people said "the Super Bowl was actually played in the NFC Championship Game." They asked about his team being "disrespected" and if he liked that his players were going through the postseason "with a chip on their shoulder."

"However they have to get ready to play the football game, that's all I care about," he said, shrugging off the narrative, adding, "It doesn't matter. We're in the Super Bowl."

"We can pump this thing up for 10 days. We're all compensated very well for what we do, so I don't think there's any disrespect from this building or my appreciation for our football team," Vrabel said, reiterating, "It doesn't bother me."

Vrabel is looking to achieve a unique feat by becoming the first player and head coach to win the Super Bowl in NFL history.

The Patriots grinded out a low-scoring, challenging win in Denver, defeating the Broncos without Bo Nix at quarterback, 10-7. The game featured cold, snowy conditions, making it difficult for viewers to see clearly on television, especially in the second half.

Players also slid and fell on the snow-covered field multiple times, and ultimately it came down to which team could connect on a second-half field goal and prevent their opponent from getting points. New England handled that mission admirably behind Maye and Vrabel's leadership.

Their next challenge is taking down veteran QB Sam Darnold and a Seahawks team that has looked especially impressive on both sides of the ball. Unlike the Pats' game, the Seahawks' game was a higher-scoring back-and-forth contest, and with the game occurring in Santa Clara, California, one has to wonder if that's an advantage for Seattle.

Regardless, Vrabel isn't allowing any "disrespected" narratives to get in the way of his focus, but seems OK with it if that helps some of his players find the motivation to win the biggest game of their season.