Mike Vrabel Jokes He's Contractually Forced to See Tom Brady Before Patriots Game

Mike Vrabel had the room laughing when he was asked about seeing Tom Brady this weekend.

But his answer also raised an eyebrow.

The New England Patriots head coach joked that he is “contractually obligated” to meet with the former quarterback before Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium.

Brady is set to work the broadcast for Fox as a lead analyst alongside Kevin Burkhardt.

It will be the first time Brady returns to Foxborough in a professional capacity since his final season with the Patriots in 2019.

Vrabel and Brady were teammates in New England from 2001 through 2008.

They won three Super Bowl titles together — XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX.

Vrabel was a linebacker who also caught touchdowns in two of those Super Bowls.

Brady threw him both of those passes.

So when a reporter asked Vrabel on Monday whether he planned to catch up with Brady this week, the coach didn’t hesitate.

“I think it’s in my contract that I have to,” Vrabel said, smiling.

He added that he has not yet spoken to Brady about the visit.

“I haven’t talked to Tom,” Vrabel said.

“I’ll see him when he gets here, I guess.”

The comment played well in the room, but it also hinted at a more serious question: Will Brady actually set foot in the Patriots facility?

Since leaving New England in 2020, Brady has rarely returned to the team’s complex.

He visited briefly during a ceremony for former teammate Devin McCourty in 2023 but has not made a regular appearance.

Vrabel, who was hired as Patriots head coach in January 2025 after Jerod Mayo’s one-year tenure, is now the bridge between the franchise’s dynastic past and its rebuilding present.

His relationship with Brady is one of the most respected in the locker room.

But Vrabel made it clear that the reunion is not something he is actively planning.

“I’m not going to chase him down,” Vrabel said.

“If he wants to find me, he knows where my office is.”

The Patriots are 3-6 heading into the Week 10 matchup.

The Packers are 6-3 and fighting for playoff position in the NFC.

Brady’s broadcast debut in Foxborough adds another layer of attention to a game that already carries weight.

Fox has promoted the return heavily, with Brady expected to call the game from the booth.

It remains unclear whether he will visit the Patriots sideline or locker room before kickoff.

Vrabel’s joke about the “contractual” obligation was the first public acknowledgment from either side that the reunion is even being discussed.

Brady has not commented publicly on the visit.

The two men have remained friendly since Brady’s departure.

Vrabel has said in past interviews that Brady is the greatest quarterback he ever played with.

Brady has praised Vrabel’s leadership and football IQ.

But this week’s meeting is different.