Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct in today’s win over the Bills, and he immediately blamed the official for being “sensitive.” It’s not often you hear a head coach call out an official’s emotional state, but Vrabel went there, and he didn’t hold back.
The ‘Bad Call’ That Got Under His Skin
So, what exactly set him off? Vrabel acknowledged that he used profanity. He straight up told the official he’d made a “bad call” on a defensive holding penalty. That call was a big one, giving the Bills a first down right after the Patriots’ defense had forced what should have been a third-down incompletion. You can totally see why a coach would be fired up about that. “I told him it was a terrible , I’m not going to say effing , call,” Vrabel said after the game. Talk about telling it like it is.
Is There a Double Standard?
Here’s where it gets interesting: Vrabel claims this isn’t new behavior for him. He said that in all his years as a coach, he’s made similar comments to officials “87 times” without getting flagged. “It was nothing derogatory,” he stated. He then added, “You’d have to ask him. I think he was a little sensitive.” To back himself up, Vrabel even mentioned that his trusted assistant coach, John “Stretch” Streicher, confirmed over the headset that the call was indeed bad. Vrabel feels that when he’s been assured a call was wrong, he’s justified in letting the officials know. Although, he did add a slight caveat, saying, “I probably shouldn’t have swore.” It makes you wonder, does the league really want to open this can of worms about ref sensitivity? Because if coaches start calling out officials for being thin-skinned, the sideline banter is about to get a whole lot spicier.
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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