Tom Curran and Phil Perry break down what happened when Mike Vrabel jumped into a camp fight to break it up on the Patriots Talk Podcast
FOXBORO -- Mike Vrabel emerged from a pile of humanity with blood on his face.
A nearby official pointed out the gash on his left cheek. Vrabel felt blood on his hands, shrugged his shoulders and grabbed a towel from a member of the Patriots training staff.
Even for a head coach who likes to mix it up with his players -- he was famously bowled over by left tackle Will Campbell during a pre-draft workout, and in camp he's constantly been repping against the Patriots offense during half-speed periods -- this was different.
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About halfway through New England's joint practice with the Commanders, Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson picked up a blitzer and ended up in a scrap on the ground.
Vrabel, who happened to be only a few feet away, immediately dove to the turf to try to break it up.
The only problem: There were about a dozen fully-padded players who got involved soon thereafter. The result? Vrabel, on the grass, just over a week away from his 50th birthday, as players piled on him and jostled with each other to defend their teammates.
When Vrabel got back to his feet, he had a visible cut on his face, but he was busy barking at players to get back to where they belonged to keep the practice moving.
"He's right there with us, man," Patriots tight end Hunter Henry said later. "I think that player comes out in him a little bit too. But you gotta love a coach that has those competitive juices just like us."
Patriots receiver DeMario Douglas smiled when asked about the linebacker-turned-coach he's gotten to know these last few months.
"That's love right there," Douglas said. "I said, 'Hey, Coach! What's wrong with you?' He said, 'Hey, you should've seen the other guy.' I laughed at that."
Later, Vrabel could be seen talking to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, showing him the gash and smiling.
"That's what we're trying to build, I think, and it starts with the head coach," quarterback Drake Maye said. "The intensity, bringing it every day, taking no crap when we're out there on the field... For mentality, I like it. I think that's what you want. I mean, I almost got in there, but I think maybe another day, maybe."
Vrabel's willingness to get in the middle of things seemed to open the eyes of some on Washington's sideline.
"That right there shows what the Patriots are all about, being tough," former Patriots defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. said. "He may think he can still play. But he does have some strength. He grabbed some guys today. He's strong."
The Patriots aren't going to need Vrabel to suit up any time soon. They held their own against a team that went to the NFC Championship Game a season ago. But they certainly appreciated the message Vrabel sent when things got heated on the field and he opted to get involved.
"It's a physical game," Maye said. "It's a man's game, and things happen out there... I think there's a time where, obviously you don't want to come out here and fight and get in trouble, but at the same time, you don't want to back down from nobody.
"I'm sure Coach will preach you can't have that, but at the same time, kind of in the back of our minds, that's kind of how we want to play. The intensity, and kind of -- when the whistle's going, play hard, and when the whistle stops, get off and get away."
