New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mike Vrabel unhappy with 'rats' inside Patriots organization

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 2:16 PM ET

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is determined to plug some leaks within the organization before the start of the 2025 season.

A report surfaced on Thursday that Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, who was drafted in the second round out of Washington last year, will miss the entirety of his second NFL season because he needs shoulder surgery.

The news was first shared by reporter Jordan Schultz, who said Polk met with multiple specialists before determining that surgery was the best option.

Vrabel was asked about the report a short while later. He did not provide any details about Polk’s injury and instead expressed frustration that the information leaked out. Vrabel said the Patriot s are going to have to find the “rats” within their organization.

“No, I don’t know, other than I’d like to find out where some of these [reports] come from," Vrabel said. "Some of these rats around here, so we’ll figure that out."

Vrabel, who has previous head-coaching experience with the Tennessee Titans, has reminded fans of former legendary HC Bill Belichick at times with how he has dealt with the media in New England. He had a confrontation with a reporter over a question last week, and he clearly prefers to keep injury information close to the vest.

Polk was coming off a disappointing rookie season in which he caught just 12 passes in 15 games. The Patriots expected big things from him when they drafted him 37th overall, but they are not going to see any return on their investment until 2026, if at all.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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