Mike Vrabel isn’t offering much on the NFL’s reported $250,000 fine, and the Patriots coach made it clear he doesn’t want to discuss it publicly.
According to a post on X by Ari Meirov, Vrabel was asked about the punishment tied to his conduct toward officials and said the matter was supposed to stay private. He added, “I think it’s best to talk to the league. They seem to have plenty to say already about it.”
The Patriots are 4-3, a solid start on paper, but they still sit two games back of the Bills in the AFC East loss column.
There has also been some speculation about what led to the league’s discipline, with The Boston Globe pointing to Vrabel’s behavior in Week 4. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for language, and after that game he said he had apologized.
Another layer to the situation came from Scott Green, the executive director of the NFL Referees Association. In a statement, Green said officials and everyone else should be held to the same standard.
“Officials are routinely subjected to highly charged interactions and, at times, verbal abuse from players and coaches,” Green said in a statement. “While that never excuses misconduct by an official, it shouldn’t be dismissed as simply part of the game. The league expects the highest level of professionalism from its officials, and it should demand the same from everyone on the field.”
Vrabel also joked that he may need to change how he handles officials, according to the Greg Hill Show via essentiallysports.com.
“No, I just tell them everything is a great call. Great call,” Vrabel said on The Greg Hill Show.
“I go, ‘Man, I thought you were gonna miss that one, but you nailed it. You nailed it.’
Every time I gotta cuss at him, I’m like, Christmas. We got Christmas.”
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