Patriots
Former Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan saw firsthand Mike Vrabel's influence at Tennessee when it got here to establishing a culture and constructing a winning program.
And now Lewan expects that to proceed with Vrabel in his latest position as head coach of the Patriots – even when it could lead on to some growing pains for New England.
Lewan, who played for Vrabel with the Titans for five seasons, went to X on Sunday to deliver a message to Patriots players about what they’ll expect in the long run under Vrabel.
“The culture will be incredible. You will win games. Those tough, one-score games are what you're going to win,” Lewan said in a video. “That’s how Mike Vrabel works. This guy will make sure his team knows everything.”
Accountability and discipline were routinely discarded in terms of Vrabel's fame with the Titans. Lewan emphasized that New England's locker room may have a while to regulate to the high standard their latest head coach will set this spring.
“You have to keep your (rant) head in check. You have to understand that (expletive) is going to be really hard for a while,” Lewan said. “And everything will be okay. But know that you will soon be going to hell for a while. You'll sit in small groups in the locker room and ask yourself, “Who the hell is this guy?” “Why is he talking to us like that?” “Who does he think he is?”
“Yeah, he played in the league, whatever… By the way, he'll tell you at the first team meeting how many years he played in the league. And he will forever refer to it. Not a bad thing, guys. I'm telling you, it will work. I was part of it. While I've been in these small groups, and you start to break away from it, you come to the conclusion, “Yeah, this guy knows what he's (expletive) talking about.”
Lewan added that Vrabel pays attention to detail – be it the X's and O's, the game recording or even the staff around the stadium – and that it shows in record time.
“Especially if you’re a rookie and you’re just at the combine and you get drafted by the Patriots, congratulations,” Lewan said. “But also keep your (expletive) head down. You've got to turn that thing back on… “He'll make you stand up: 'Who's that, who's that?' Find out the name of the caretaker. Find out everyone's name. Learn everything.”
Bill Belichick became known for his demanding nature as head coach of the Patriots
Lewan noted that Vrabel preaches a system wherein your complete roster memorizes every facet of the sport — be it offense, defense or special teams — or the rest.
“That’s how you’re going to win the game. He will paint a beautiful picture for you,” Lewan said of Vrabel’s game preparation. “The man’s stage presence is top notch for a coach,” Lewan continued. “He thinks he’s a comedian, so laugh at the jokes. They won't always be great, but laugh at the jokes anyway.
“He’ll burn the team keys into your head. But when you play offense like I do, you also have to know defense and special teams. It’s not the worst feeling sitting in that team meeting and not knowing all the answers when he calls you.”
Despite the growing pains as Vrabel tries to determine his own culture in Foxborough, Lewan added that those learning curves will result in victories in a brief time period.
“I swear to God, it will be difficult at times. He can be evil,” Lewan said. “But you're going to win some games… you're in a good position. Good luck, Patriots.”
image credit : www.boston.com