KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Travis Kelce has a revealing nickname for the Patriots ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The Fighting Mike Vrabels.
Feb 5, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talks to media members at the Santa Clara Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Kelce had a hectic week and he’s up for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year at Thursday’s NFL Honors. But don’t think for a second he won’t be watching every second of Sunday’s game, when Vrabel’s Patriots meet Sam Darnold and the Seahawks.
Kelce loves Vrabel’s coaching style, and why not?
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid shakes hands with Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel after defeating the Titans 35 to 24 in the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020 in Kansas City, Mo.
Nas Titans Afc Championship 019 | George Walker IV / Tennessean.com, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Patriots’ head coach and Kelce are both from Northeastern Ohio and both played collegiately at Ohio schools, Vrabel at Ohio State and Kelce at Cincinnati. Both were third-round draft picks, Vrabel by the Steelers in 1997 and Kelce by the Chiefs in 2013.
Including Sunday, they’ve combined for 10 Super Bowl berths. And, perhaps their most unique common link, they’ve each caught multiple touchdown passes for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Now, the Chiefs are hoping Kelce will do something Vrabel did: Play a 14th season in the NFL. When Vrabel played his 14th and final season, he ended his career with the Chiefs. Here are his three most memorable moments in a Kansas City uniform.
Nov 15, 2009; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel (50) during the game against the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Chiefs defeated the Raiders 16-10. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
First Chiefs touchdown; Oct. 11, 2009
Acquired from the Patriots in an offseason trade, Vrabel and the Chiefs got off to a rough start in his first season. But after four losses, head coach Todd Haley caught the Cowboys off guard, inserting Vrabel as a tight end.
With both teams in their 1960s throwbacks, the Chiefs wearing their red Dallas Texans threads, Vrabel got a free release on a goal-to-go snap, ran a quick out route toward the pylon, and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel.
However, after a Dwayne Bowe touchdown knotted the game in the final minute of regulation, Tony Romo hit Miles Austin on a 60-yard touchdown in overtime to give Dallas a 26-20 win.
Sep 26, 2010; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Delanie Walker (46) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel (50) in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 31-10. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Second Chiefs touchdown; Oct. 17, 2010
Charlie Weis was the first offensive coordinator to use Vrabel as a goal-line tight end. While the two were together in New England from 2001-04, on five occasions Vrabel caught touchdown passes, twice in Super Bowls.
So, when Weis returned to the NFL as Chiefs offensive coordinator in 2010, he naturally used Vrabel as a goal-line receiver. It paid off in a touchdown catch at Houston in Week 5.
Oct 17, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel (50) catches a touchdown pass against the Houston Texans in the first quarter at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Facing fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line, Cassel sold a play-action handoff to Thomas Jones and rolled right. Vrabel looked like Kelce, finding open space in the middle of the end zone, and Cassel got Brian Cushing to step up thinking the quarterback would run for the touchdown.
Instead, Cassel fired over Cushing’s head to hit Vrabel and give the Chiefs a first-quarter lead. Kansas City, however, couldn’t hold a 31-21 fourth-quarter advantage, allowing 14 unanswered points in a 35-31 loss.
Assistant coach Mike Vrabel gives instructions during a break in an NCAA College football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and University of Toledo Rockets at Ohio Stadium, September 10, 2011. | Fred Squillante/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Final NFL game; Jan. 9, 2011
Vrabel, who started all 16 games in Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 defense, helped the 10-6 Chiefs to an AFC West title. But Joe Flacco and the Ravens spoiled their Arrowhead party in the wild-card round with a stunning, 30-7 win.
Kansas City got a 41-yard touchdown burst from Jamaal Charles and actually led for the majority of the first half. But the Ravens’ halftime adjustments were the difference. They scored 27 unanswered points. Vrabel wound up retiring in July and became the linebackers coach at Ohio State, his alma mater.
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