Patriots coach Mike Vrabel left bloodied after fight breaks out during practice with Commanders

FOXBORO, Mass. — New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was left bloodied after a fight broke out during a joint practice with the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday.

Vrabel was seen bleeding from his face after he dove into a pile of scuffling players, Zack Cox of the Boston Herald reported.

“Can’t say I’ve ever seen that before,” Cox wrote in a post on X.

The skirmish stemmed from a play in which Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson took a Commanders pass rusher to the ground in pass protection, according to Cox.

Vrabel tried to break up the players, but he took “friendly fire” when fellow Patriots rookie Will Campbell, an offensive lineman, joined the pile, Cox said.

When Vrabel ultimately emerged from the dust-up, he said, “You should see the other guy,” wide receiver Pop Douglas reportedly told the media.

The fight happened during a portion of practice that was off-limits to cameras.

The action unfolded in front of several special guests, including Danny Amendola, Devin and Jason McCourty, Patrick Chung, and Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum, Cox reported.

A Boston 25 News photographer spotted Tatum signing autographs and mingling with players on the sideline.

Boston 25 also spotted singer Jon Bon Jovi laughing with Patriots starting quarterback Drake Maye and Commanders backup quarterback Sam Hartman.

Vrabel, a former three-time Super Bowl-winning linebacker with the Patriots, was hired by the Patriots in January after a dismal 4-13 finish to the 2024 season.

The Patriots and Commanders begin preseason play with a game on Friday night in Foxboro.

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