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By Albert Breer
October 3, 2010
Two Februarys ago, Mike Vrabel was thrown in as part of a deal that sent quarterback Matt Cassel from the Patriots to the Chiefs.
Turns out, he had something left in the tank. In talking to Chiefs coach Todd Haley for this week's Sunday NFL Notes, it was pretty clear how highly Kansas City thinks of the ex-Patriot. And for Haley, the fact Vrabel returned on his own terms after his contract expired was a big deal.
"Mike is a guy that I rely on a lot in a lot of different situations," Haley said. "He’s a special, special character player, like no one I’ve ever been around. We traded for him last year, that was a tough deal for him, but he proved to me that he was willing to get on board with me in the trenches last year. And then the fact he was able to make his own decision this year was a big, big item.
"He called and talked to me a bunch before he made that final decision, and it just felt so good to have him back. He’s a special guy. He’s a special football player. He’s a unique, unique individual that I’m so happy to have here, and to have as a resource for me and for our team.
"Mike’s somebody that, a bond has been built over the last year-and-a-half. There were some rocky times that you go through as a young team, and they were real rocky for a guy coming from a team that had done nothing but win for a long time, and he was such a big part of that. He’s a lot of fun to be around and he’s one of those people that makes you a better person and keeps you on your toes full-time. So I’m real grateful that Mike’s here."
Outside linebacker, of course, remains a spot where the Patriots have questions. So it's certainly worth asking if the Patriots gave away Vrabel too soon.
