New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury played together for a brief period during their respective NFL careers, and there is one very specific thing that Vrabel remembers about his former teammate.
Vrabel and Kingsbury were teammates on the Patriots in 2003. That was the year New England won their second Super Bowl with Tom Brady. Kingsbury, a rookie sixth-round pick at the time, was a backup behind Brady.
A reporter asked Vrabel on Wednesday if there is anything the former Pro Bowl linebacker remembers about Kingsbury as a player. Vrabel had a very simple response.
“Um, he wasn’t better than Tom Brady,” Vrabel said.
With the Commanders in town for a joint practice, Mike Vrabel was asked what he remembers about his former teammate and Washington OC Kliff Kingsbury:
— Tom Carroll (@yaboiTCfresh) August 6, 2025
“Um…he wasn’t better than Tom Brady.” 😂@WEEI @1067theFan #NEPats #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/vX6cUrCTkr
Kingsbury played for several different teams both in the NFL and internationally from 2003-2007. He is known much more for his tenure as a successful coach at Texas Tech and in the NFL than he is for his playing days.
Of course, most people would make the argument that literally nobody — ever — was better than Tom Brady. What Vrabel said was not exactly an insult.
