New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel continues to be on top of controversies this offseason, with new claims coming up one after another. Following his pictures with Dianna Russini getting leaked earlier, Vrabel and Russini’s absence from their respective fields, and reporter Crissy Froyd firing shots and openly criticising the entire controversy, journalist Howard Eskin is now blaming Vrabel for tampering in the A.J. Brown trade.

“Mike Vrabel really, and the NFL doesn’t want to look at tampering, but he obviously tampered,” said Howard Eskin on the June 6 edition of The Howard Eskin Show ft. Crissy Froyd as the special guest.

Throughout the offseason, wide receiver A.J. Brown’s trade rumors emerged as a constant topic of debate. For a long time, a lingering question was whether he would reunite with Vrabel. Eventually, a few days ago, the Philadelphia Eagles confirmed that a trade was indeed finalized, sending Brown to the Patriots in exchange for two 2027 fifth-round picks and a 2008 first-round pick.

While considered as one of the blockbuster trades of the offseason, Eskin feels that something was happening behind the scenes. He alleges that Vrabel tampered with the trade since it was the Patriots HC who picked Brown during the 2019 draft, when he was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. They spent three seasons together before the WR was traded to Philadelphia.

During his time with the wide receiver in Tennessee, the team had a 32-17 record, made it to the playoffs thrice, and played the AFC Championship once. According to NFL Insider Adam Schefter’s recent comments, Mike Vrabel never approved the idea of the Titans trading Brown.

“Mike Vrabel never wanted to trade A.J. Brown away in Tennessee, so he gets back the wide receiver he wanted and needed,” Schefter said.

Now that the head coach is finally reuniting with his trusted wide receiver in New England, he was seen complementing Brown during the first press conference that happened right after the trade.

“I think he loves football. I think he has a physical skill set. I think he’s got great body control. I think he’s strong at the catch point. But I also think he’s grown as a player and as a receiver.

“Just trying to improve our football team in every possible way. Give our offense multiple weapons to build on what we did last year. I think having experience with the person, to be able to add an accomplished NFL football player, receiver, premium player at his position, but somebody that we also feel strongly about as a person and a competitor and as a teammate.”

Currently, Eskin’s words are nothing but an allegation regarding the trade and Mike Vrabel. And while Eskin has shared his thoughts on the A.J. Brown trade, the wide receiver recently reflected on his first meeting with Vrabel.

Mike Vrabel’s first message to A.J. Brown was encouraging and nostalgic

A.J. Brown’s addition to the New England Patriots comes at a crucial time following Stefon Diggs’ departure. He can play the team’s WR1 and form a partnership with fellow receiver Romeo Doubs. Moreover, the biggest advantage of Brown coming to New England is his familiarity with Vrabel’s coaching style. He won’t need to spend time learning the playbook.

While every Patriots fan is busy lining up the advantages of adding the Super Bowl winner to the roster, Vrabel sent a special message to him. Following Brown’s trade to New England, the WR sat down with Maria Taylor and shared Vrabel’s message to him from their time together in Tennessee.

“‘Get open and catch the ball,’ that’s what he always says,” Brown said when asked about the message. “That’s what he said when he drafted me in Tennessee. That’s what he said again. He said, ‘Get open and catch the ball.’ The mission is still the same.”

Earlier, during his appearance on the Dudes on Dudes podcast, Brown also spoke about Vrabel’s tough love when he was in Tennessee. Now, with them reuniting, the message is a clear indication that the WR should be ready for that tough love again.

“When I first got to Tennessee, he was extremely tough on me, and I didn’t really understand what he was trying to do,” Brown said.

“Obviously, he was trying to push me to become the player I am today, but he was just so tough. I remember a conversation, I was talking to him, like, ‘You don’t have to humble me. I came from humble beginnings.’ I just never understood, he stayed on me all the time… He was holding me accountable, and we grew close over the years.”

He will be looking to continue that streak and drop another All-Pro performance. Last season, the Patriots and Mike Vrabel came close to hoisting the Lombardi trophy but failed when they lost to the Seattle Seahawks. But this year, with players like AJ Brown added to the roster, Vrabel and Co. will look forward to finishing the upcoming season with a Super Bowl win.