The New England Patriots were on the road eight times this year and remain the only team to win every single one of these games. But it must not have been as easy and glamorous as one might think. Patriots legend Julian Edelman recently dropped a bombshell about the team’s conduct during games away from home. He couldn’t help but stress how strict the organization can be, especially when it comes to family. 

“If you had friends or family, you could get them a hotel room,” he revealed on Dudes and Dudes. “No one was on your on your floor. No one was in your hotel room. That was conduct detrimental to the team. So, you would get suspended, and you’d lose a game check. Well, there’d be so much security you couldn’t get anyone through there.”

Speaking on his podcast, the three-time Super Bowl champion pulled back the curtain on the Patriots’ “pro sports” approach to road trips. Edelman, who spent over a decade in New England from 2009 to 2020, explained that these trips were strictly business. Besides restrictions on family and friends, players had to follow a full-fledged schedule upon their arrival in the host city. Based on Edelman’s experience, each player was given 45 minutes of leisure time before operations began.

They had the hotels turned into facilities equipped with film rooms, massive training areas, and meeting spaces. Moreover, meals were also part of the routine and had a typical menu – chicken, steak, pasta, brown rice, and a local delicacy. On the gritty side of things, New England preferred simple airport hotels to avoid distractions. And the night before games was full of team meetings, offensive and defensive breakdowns, and assessments of up to 75 plays.

After treatment and a late-night snack while watching college football, they couldn’t stay out beyond 11 pm. Edelman summed up the road adventure best in a few lines. 

“The road is part of their life,” he said. “Yeah, we’re taking our operation in Foxborough, and we’re literally bringing it to that one spot. And we’re doing everything that we do in Foxborough at that one spot.”

Julian Edelman’s throwback account comes following his views on what drives head coach Mike Vrabel’s success. 

Julian Edelman praises Vrabel’s accountability approach

It is just Vrabel’s first season with the Patriots, and he has already guided his team into the postseason. It’s the very franchise he once played for, and now he’s leading them 13-3 heading into Week 18. While he took a different approach than Bill Belichick’s coaching style, the efforts are showing big time. Mike has earned praise along the way from analysts to former players, including Julian Edelman.

During his appearance on Fox NFL Sunday, the former wideout explained why Vrabel feels like the right man for New England. 

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“He knows how to hold guys accountable while connecting with them,” he said. “It’s like a really good evolution of what the ‘Patriot Way’ was. Holding guys accountable, but also having the EQ to connect with everyone.”

Additionally, he highlighted how Mike carries himself after games. His acknowledgment of every player shows how much he values personal connection. However, Edelman stressed that Vrabel’s background in the system can allow him to go tough on his players. If someone isn’t doing their job, the coach won’t hesitate to call them out.

This is Vrabel laying out how he wants the team to get better, step by step, without overcomplicating it. First, he wants to cut out the mistakes that directly cost games. Then, he wants to fix what’s clearly wrong while building on what already works, with a heavy focus on protecting the ball and knowing the situation at all times. From there, his practices are designed to be fast and realistic, using split-field walkthroughs, up-tempo reps, and smart drills that feel like game speed without beating players up. But it doesn’t stop on the field.

Vrabel believes real improvement also happens in the meeting room, where players have to stay mentally locked in, understand their assignments, and be aware of what teammates are doing. That’s why he pushes constant questions and discussion, making sure everyone knows not just their job, but the bigger picture around them.

In Julian Edelman’s view, this tough love makes things work out. With New England now gearing up for a playoff run and even hoping for the No.1 seed, Vrabel is writing a success story.