Vrabel traded in a stunner

Patriots deal linebacker to Chiefs on Day 1 of free agency

February 28, 2009|Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff

For the last eight seasons, Mike Vrabel has imbued the Patriots with selfless versatility and veteran savvy. Now the consummate Patriot will be expected to provide those characteristics for another team.

Vrabel confirmed yesterday that the Patriots traded him in his typical, straight-to-the-point style, responding to an e-mail asking whether he had been swapped to the Kansas City Chiefs with a one-word answer: "Yes."

In Kansas City, he'll be reunited with former Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli, who is the Chiefs' new general manager and charged with helping redefine the culture of the team the same way he did when he joined the Patriots. Terms of the deal were not released, but ESPN's John Clayton reported Vrabel was dealt for an undisclosed draft choice.

In eight seasons with the Patriots, Vrabel played in 125 regular-season games. He recorded 638 regular-season tackles and 48 sacks and intercepted 10 passes. In 17 playoff games, including four Super Bowls, he tallied 93 tackles and seven sacks.

Patriots add Taylor, Baker; Gaffney, Paxton sign with Broncos. C8

But Vrabel's contribution can't be measured in numbers. He was the quintessential Patriot, the embodiment of the tough, smart, disciplined, and versatile football player coach Bill Belichick and Pioli used as their blueprint for building the team into the NFL's model franchise. He was also one of the more underrated and undervalued pillars of the Patriots' dynasty, helping the franchise to three Super Bowl titles (2001, 2003, and 2004), and earning one Pro Bowl berth, in 2007.

Signed in 2001 as a free agent from the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he was a backup and special teams player, Vrabel was part of a fleet of low-cost, high-performance free agents who helped take the Patriots from 5-11 in 2000 - Belichick's first season as head coach - to the onset of a dynastic run in 2001, when the franchise won its first Super Bowl.

In Super Bowl XXXVI, Vrabel's hit on St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner caused an errant throw that was intercepted by Ty Law and returned 47 yards for a touchdown that gave the Patriots a surprising 7-0 lead and set the tone for one of the most incredible upsets in NFL history, as the Patriots defeated the heavily favored Rams, 20-17.

Vrabel wasn't just good at harassing passers. He was adept at catching passes. He has 10 career receptions, all having resulted in touchdowns.

In the Patriots' 32-29 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Vrabel caught a touchdown pass as a goal-line tight end. It was a feat he repeated when the Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.