April 15, 2026, 8:27 p.m. ET
Miami Dolphins center Aaron Brewer really appreciated New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel’s fair approach to the game.
The veteran offensive line spent time with Vrabel during his run with the Tennessee Titans, which means he got a front-row seat to see what sets him apart from other coaches.
Vrabel took the Titans all the way to the AFC Championship Game in his second year with the team in 2019. And last season, in his first year as the Patriots‘ head coach, he led the team all the way to Super Bowl LX. It takes a special coach to pull off those feats.
“It was amazing, man. It was 10 out of 10,” Brewer said on being coached by Vrabel on NFL Spotlight. “Any day of the week, any time, hats off and nothing but respect for Mike Vrabel. …He don’t care where you came from, what round you was drafted, undrafted, drafted—it’s black and white with him. It’s nothing in between.
“He go off how you work and what you put on tape. He going off exactly what he seeing. So you just got to respect him in that matter, cause It don’t matter where you come from. It don’t matter how big you are, how strong you are, fast—it’s all about what you can put on that tape and your mentality out there.”
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.
Brewer signed with the Titans as an undrafted rookie free agent and worked his way up to becoming a full-time starter for the team. He has gone on to earn the starting center job for the Dolphins as a direct rival to Vrabel’s Patriots.
Vrabel is viewed as one of the greatest player-coaches in the league, and it’s clear that he has made a lasting impact on a lot of athletes, including Brewer.
His incredible ability to connect with his players is a big reason why the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl in Year 1 of a rebuild. He is an elite evaluator of talent and clearly one of the best coaches in the NFL.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.