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Patriots coach Mike Vrabel denies Ty Law claim he drank before practices
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- Patriots coach Mike Vrabel denies Ty Law claim he drank before practices
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As the New England Patriots prepare for their first AFC Championship appearance since 2018, head coach Mike Vrabel on Wednesday pushed back on a claim made by former teammate Ty Law that Vrabel drank alcohol before practices during their playing days.
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New England is set to face the Denver Broncos on the road Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET on CBS. With the matchup approaching, Vrabel addressed the allegation during an appearance on The Greg Hill Show, calling the account exaggerated.
"Ty has got a lot of stories. He tells a lot of stories. Some are accurate and some aren't," Vrabel said.
When asked directly whether he ever brought a flask into the locker room before practice, Vrabel offered a firm denial and suggested the claim reflected Law's current business interests rather than his own behavior as a player.
"No, I never had a flask in the locker room. These stories sound good nowadays. Ty sells liquor for a living so I'm sure he's trying to push his product. Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story," Vrabel said.
Ty Law shares humorous account of Mike Vrabel from Patriots' early-2000s era
Law, a Hall of Fame cornerback and key member of New England 's early-2000s championship teams, made the comments earlier this week during an interview with Steve Burton. In that conversation, Law portrayed Vrabel as a frequent instigator of pre-practice drinking during cold-weather sessions.
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"Mike Vrabel was the party starter. Everybody thinks that I was the party starter. I was a little bit, but Mike Vrabel was the party starter," Law said.
Law expanded on the story by describing what he characterized as routine locker-room behavior before heading to the practice field.
"Okay, it's cold out here right now. And Mike Vrabel, I got the liquor, and Mike Vrabel always had the liquor. I'm going to say it, Mike Vrabel, take a drink, take a shot before we go out there and get warmed up. That was Vrabel. Not a lot, but remember we had to drive to practice sometimes. Vrabel had a flask in his locker. So everybody would come take a sip. Just a sip, not a lot. You can't do that now with Covid anyway, but he had everybody getting a flask. That was Vrabel just to get you warmed up, loosen up. He just had that type of personality that you kind of gravitate to him," Law said.
Vrabel, who played linebacker for the Patriots from 2001 to 2008 before embarking on a coaching career, did not address the specifics of Law's account beyond denying the presence of a flask or alcohol in the locker room. His response emphasized the difference between storytelling and verifiable fact.
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The exchange has drawn attention given Vrabel's current role leading New England back into title contention. While the comments reference events from more than a decade ago, Vrabel made clear he views them as colorful anecdotes rather than an accurate depiction of team operations during his playing career.
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