New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel finished Sunday night’s Wild Card game looking like he’d played four quarters in the trenches. With blood noticeably trickling down his face on the Sunday Night Football broadcast, fans might have thought he’d suited up for one last ride.
As it turns out, the injury didn’t come from a Chargers blocker, but from a very enthusiastic hug from his own star defensive lineman, Milton Williams.
The “incident” occurred shortly after Williams effectively punched the Patriots’ ticket to the Divisional Round. With the Los Angeles Chargers facing a 4th-and-9 just after the two-minute warning, Williams exploded off the line to sack quarterback Justin Herbert.
The play secured a 16-3 victory for New England, sending the Foxborough crowd into a frenzy-and sending Williams sprinting to the sideline to find his coach.
“Vrabes ain’t have no helmet on”
In the heat of the celebration, Williams went in for a celebratory embrace. Unfortunately, the defender forgot he was still wearing a polycarbonate shell while his coach was only sporting a headset. Williams accidentally lowered his facemask directly into Vrabel’s face, drawing blood in the process.
A short time later, cameras caught Vrabel laughing as he wiped his face and showed Williams the damage. Post-game, both men were in high spirits about the “battle scar.”
“I was just turnt,” Williams joked after the game. “That was just pure emotion. I think I headbutted everybody. But I forgot Vrabes ain’t have no helmet on. He’ll be alright though.”
Vrabel, known for his gritty coaching style, leaned into the irony of the situation. He revealed that he had challenged his team earlier in the week to give everything they had for the playoff run.
Spilling blood for the win
“We talked to him about being willing to spill some blood out there and that the big dogs come out in January,” Vrabel said with a grin. “I think Milton took that to heart in the way that he played the game, and he finished the game. He came over and got me pretty good, but that’s what happened.”
With a bloodied coach and a dominant defense, the Patriots move on to the AFC Divisional Round next Sunday. While the exact kickoff time is still to be determined, New England knows they will be facing either the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Houston Texans.
One thing is certain: if the Patriots keep winning, Vrabel might want to start wearing a helmet on the sidelines for his own safety.