The New England Patriots are entering a new era under head coach Mike Vrabel. The former Patriots linebacker is already a popular figure in New England among fans and the organization. One Patriots player compared Vrabel to one of the NFL's best coaches during a recent interview.

Patriots defensive end Keion White is thrilled to have Vrabel as his head coach. He even compared him to legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick during a recent interview.

“I like Mike,” White told reporters on Tuesday. “He leads with work. I can respect that. It’s similar to Bill, just with a younger face. I think we all know how I feel about that; I liked him. So, it’s comforting to know that you have a hard-ass at the helm who will not be afraid to fistfight with you in a back alley.”

White is also a fan of the roster moves Vrabel has made so far. He is especially excited to play next to newcomer Milton Williams and a healthy Christian Barmore.

“We have really good guys on the inside who can get after the passer, even on early-down situations,” he said. “That changes things I can do a little bit. Be less conservative and be more aggressive.”

If New England's defense is improved in 2025, the Patriots could become a frisky team in the AFC East.

Tom Brady finally weighs in on Patriots hiring Mike Vrabel

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks the to media during a press conference at Gillette Stadium.
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Keion White is not the only fan of Mike Vrabel.

Former Patriots QB Tom Brady finally weighed in on the Vrabel hire, praising his former teammate.

“Mike’s a great coach, and the Patriots have a great leader for that organization,” Brady said. “I know he’s going to do a great job. I know he’s all about tough, disciplined, hard-nosed physical brand of football. He’s a terrific coach and a great friend of mine still.”

Brady believes that Vrabel's no-nonsense mentality will do wonders for the organization.

“He’s got this no-bullshit mentality about him and I love that. That’s why I think he and I have always connected. It’s this mentality that we’re not making excuses. We’re going to go out there and get the job done. (And) we’re not going to complain. We’re going to work hard and we’re going to be resilient, and that’s how you get things done…When you’re in tough competition, you’re not going to make excuses, you’re going to go out there and give it your best every day. I love that mentality,” Brady concluded.

It will be exciting to see how well the Patriots perform in Vrabel's first season as head coach.