The Emerald City is buzzing, and it should be, because our Hawks are kicking off the season with an absolute monster: a Super Bowl LX rematch right here in Seattle against the Patriots. This isn’t just any season opener, folks. This is a chance to start strong against a team that’s been living rent-free in our heads since that last big one, and from the jump, it looks like New England coach Mike Vrabel is already trying to set the tone.
Vrabel’s “Unique Offseason” and The Media Blackout
ESPN just dropped a new article from Ben Strauss and Kalyn Kahler digging into what they’re calling Patriots coach Mike Vrabel’s “unique offseason.” Here’s the kicker: the Patriots straight-up declined to make Vrabel available for the story. You read that right. The coach who’s about to roll into Lumen Field for our season opener wouldn’t talk for a piece about *his own offseason*. This all comes out as the NFL’s new business partnership with ESPN, where the league now owns a piece of the network, is under the microscope. You have to wonder if New England’s “move on” mantra, which is the prevailing mindset in their organization, also applies to sharing details with the press. It certainly looks like it.
The “Filibuster” Before Our Big Game
That media blackout around Vrabel probably explains why Kahler felt the need to ask him about “lessons learned from counseling” in a recent press conference. What happened next? An “extended filibuster” from Vrabel. Yeah, an extended filibuster. This whole saga, this entire media dance, just got published Monday morning, two days before the Patriots actually start their season here in Seattle. It makes you think about what’s going on behind the scenes with Vrabel and that Patriots squad. Is it calculated? Is he just trying to keep everything locked down before a massive road game to start the year? Whatever it is, it’s definitely setting a certain tone before this huge matchup.
Our Hawks need to be ready for whatever New England throws at them on Wednesday. It’s a Super Bowl LX rematch to kick off the regular season, right here on our turf. The 12s will be loud, the stakes are high, and we need our guys, like Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, to come out swinging. Get ready, Seattle, this one’s going to be a battle.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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