Mike Vrabel has focused on creating a specific culture during his first season as coach of the .
The tone was set when he first spoke to the team prior to the start of the offseason program in April.
鈥淲hat my goal was, what I told everybody in the building … it was to build a program that you and the coaches and the staff wanted to be a part of, that they wanted to protect,鈥� Vrabel told the team. 鈥淲hen you care about something, you protect it. And that you were proud of it. … You鈥檙e eventually going to believe in that and start to trust it.鈥�
Ten months later, those words have helped lead Vrabel鈥檚 to the verge of capturing the franchise鈥檚 seventh Super Bowl title.
Vrabel is the eighth man to play in a and then reach one as a head coach. With a win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, he can make NFL history as the first person to win a Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach for the same franchise.
Asked how he鈥檚 maintained the same enthusiasm he had when he first addressed the team prior to the season, Vrabel said his energy is fed by what he has received from everyone around him.
鈥淭he more that I鈥檓 around the players, I would say the easier that it gets,鈥� Vrabel said. 鈥淭hey have responded to us. They鈥檝e done everything we鈥檝e asked them to do. So, I think being around the players helps.鈥�
During his more than two decades as coach of the Patriots, Bill Belichick established a no-nonsense approach to creating a program that became synonymous with his 鈥渄o your job鈥� culture.
It produced Lombardi trophies 鈥� six of them 鈥� and an atmosphere that rubbed even some of his best players the wrong way at times.
While Vrabel himself earned three Super Bowl rings under Belichick during the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons, his North Star has been to prioritize a connection with and among his players.
He鈥檚 instituted little things that shine the spotlight on his team, like game-specific captains who are selected based on things like a player鈥檚 past connection to the opponent, or even just the state or city they鈥檙e playing in that week.
He brought back individual player introductions, something that hadn鈥檛 been done by the Patriots in over a decade.
After every single game this season, he鈥檚 also shaken hands with the opposing coach and then raced to the locker room to give a hug or handshake to every player as he enters the locker room.
Then, once the team gathers, in addition to the typical game ball given to a standout player, he also gives individualized shout outs to other players. Each one is followed by a unison 鈥渙ne clap鈥� by the team to make it a group experience.
And when the Patriots established themselves as the NFL鈥檚 best road team 鈥� they have yet to lose on the road this season in nine games 鈥� he began calling them the 鈥渞oad warriors鈥� and had the team watch the 1979 movie 鈥淭he Warriors.鈥�
After they beat the Denver Broncos on the road to win the AFC championship, Vrabel harkened back to the movie screaming, 鈥淲arriors! Come out to play!鈥�
In short, he鈥檚 made his first season in New England about helping his team enjoy winning.
鈥淭he handshakes and hugs after the games 鈥� win or lose. It means a lot because he cares,鈥� rookie left guard Jared Wilson said. 鈥淗e cares so much about us and he cares so much about helping this team.鈥�
His approach has roots in what Vrabel refers to as the 4 H鈥檚: History, Heroes, Heartbreak and Hope.
In team meetings this season, Vrabel has had players tell their teammates the story of how they grew up (history), who they looked up to as kids (heroes), personal challenges they鈥檝e faced (heartbreak) and what they aspire to in the future (hope).
It created a group that enjoys spending time together off the field and that has grown their bonds organically.
鈥淗e stayed the same, consistent the whole time,鈥� wide receiver Stefon Diggs said. 鈥淚 felt like our coach believed in us. He helped us build this identity that he speaks of. He held everybody to the same standard.”
Diggs said Vrabel has been the best coach he鈥檚 had in 11 seasons. Diggs believes it鈥檚 no coincidence he posted his seventh 1,000-yard receiving season following offseason knee surgery.
鈥淚 realized it starts at the head. When you hold everybody to the same standard, and you hold everybody to the same requirements each and every day, you hold your teammates accountable,鈥� Diggs said. 鈥淵ou start looking at your teammates and self-policing, self-accountability. You don鈥檛 want to let your teammates down.”
Vrabel said he鈥檚 just a product of the people he鈥檚 learned under. From playing and later coaching at Ohio State, to being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and playing for NFL coaches including Belichick.
鈥淚 just try to be me, and sometimes that鈥檚 good enough, sometimes it鈥檚 not,鈥� Vrabel said. “But I just try to learn from every person, every great coach that I鈥檝e been around, and try to make it my own style.鈥�
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