Karen Guregian: Patriots 2-time Super Bowl champ loves Mike Vrabel’s team playing disrespect card

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Karen Guregian: Patriots 2-time Super Bowl champ loves Mike Vrabel’s team playing disrespect card

Karen Guregian · MassLive

Thu, Jan 22, 2026 ·

5 min read

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FOXBOROUGH - Rodney Harrison could give a master class on ways to motivate his teammates.

In his day, the Patriots Hall of Fame safety enjoyed playing the disrespect card, pulling out slights - real or imagined - for bulletin board material. He refused to ignore the noise, especially if it helped give the Patriots a little extra edge.

And it usually worked.

Harrison, an NBC analyst, worked the pre-game broadcast for the Patriots’ wild-card game against the LA Chargers , and was also in town Sunday for the divisional round game against the Houston Texans .

After interviewing Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams following the 28-16 win over the Texans, Harrison couldn’t help but walk away with a smile on his face.

It was the same kind of smile seen on a proud father when his kid takes a page out of the old man’s book.

“Williams was pissed off. He was upset because all the talk (in the lead up) was about (the Texans) defense,” Harrison said. “It’s powerful because you got a bunch of guys that believe in one another, and believe they’ve been disrespected.

“A team that’s a really close-knit team like the Patriots are a team that’s team-oriented ... and we felt like they felt. I used that personally in my career to fuel me.

“It definitely bands teams together, defenses together. It’s definitely a rallying cry, there’s no question about it. What it does is even when you have a lot to be motivated about, it just takes that motivation to the next level.”

The 2025 Patriots have definitely taken a page out of the books of their predecessors.

They’ve not only been winning on the field, advancing to the AFC Championship Game Sunday in Denver, but they’re helping the cause by piling onto the sizable chip on their collective shoulders.

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Whether it’s the soft schedule narrative that’s been thrown in their face all season, an opposing defense getting more recognition, their receivers not being good enough, and getting all the breaks (i.e. facing a backup quarterback), the Patriots have stored all of the material.

And while Williams and Stefon Diggs have openly talked about being disrespected, Harrison has a feeling he knows the leader of the band.

“I loved it because the first thing I thought, that damn Mike Vrabel. I could hear him saying, ‘Well, you guys might as well not show up this week. They got you as 10-point underdogs’'’ Harrison said, laughing. “Those type of little things that Bill (Belichick) used to do to piss us off and motivate us, you know Mike Vrabel’s doing the same thing.”

Harrison believes Vrabel, his former teammate for two championships, has been challenging his players in a “fun-loving way,” and the motivation is real.

“Mike’s made them believe. And so they believe. And when they have a belief ... when you’re out there winning 10 games in a row, you win the wild card, and a divisional game, and you feel like you still are disrespected, (expletive)!” Harrison said. “That’s enough to take you to a Super Bowl championship. And trust me, I’ve been there, so I know.”

With Denver starter Bo Nix out with a broken ankle and Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t thrown a pass in a game in two years, taking over, the Patriots are now experiencing something they haven’t felt much during the year.

Instead of being the underdogs, they’re the favorites. Listening to Diggs, they would have preferred not being the favorite because being doubted has brought out the best in the Patriots.

Although there are still some non-believers. It’s been brought up that the Patriots have never won a playoff game in Denver (0-4). And the Broncos have a huge advantage playing in the altitude.

“I think we’re one of those teams that plays better with a chip on our shoulder,” Diggs said. “When everybody counted us out.”

Cornerback Marcus Jones said Wednesday the Patriots will have a chip on their shoulder whether they’re the favorites or not.

“At the end of the day, we always feel as though no matter what everyone else is saying, we still got stuff to prove,” Jones said. “We’re trying to always prove ourselves right, and not prove other people wrong. That’s kind of our philosophy.”

So whether it’s feeling slighted, wanting to show the belief they have in themselves is justified, and proving to the world they are worthy, the Patriots will carry that into Sunday’s 3 p.m. kickoff in Denver.

“We’ve always been taught to ignore the noise. We ignore it, but you still pay attention to it, especially with social media,” Harrison said. “But the main thing is, you’ve gotta have a close-knit team. And the Patriots are a very close-knit team. It’s amazing how much trust, love and respect they have for one another on that football field. It’s really remarkable. I felt that same way in 2003, the type of love and chemistry we grew to have over a season, it reminds me of these Patriots, man ... they got everything they need right in front of them.

“That’s their rallying cry and it should be,” Harrison went on. “To see them, and to see them get pissed off because of being disrespected, I say, ‘Yup, that’s that Mike Vrabel influence’ and they’re right there.”

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