Celtics' Joe Mazzulla Believes Having Mike Vrabel at Practice Will Help Championship Quest

The Boston Celtics are in the thick of their schedule and are set to take on the New York Knicks for the third time this season on Sunday.

The Celtics will host the Knicks for an early 1:00 p.m. ET tip-off, but before that, Boston had a light practice on Saturday. While it was business as usual for the Celtics, they welcomed the newest New England Patriots head coach, Mike Vrabel.

Vrabel was at Auerbach Center, where the Celtics practice.

After the practice, Joe Mazzulla spoke to the media about what it meant to have Vrabel at practice.

“The four people that have these jobs for however long they have it, there’s got to be a brotherhood there,” Mazzulla said. “There’s got to be a communication and understanding of we’re all carrying a responsibility to to compete at a high level and to bring championships to the city. So you got to learn from each other and have their perspective.”

“It was great,” Mazzulla said. “He obviously brings a championship perspective. But anytime you can just get together with guys that are in the same arena as we are, and support each other, I think that’s important.”

Joe Mazzulla on having Mike Vrabel at #Celtics practice:

“It was great. He obviously brings a championship perspective.” pic.twitter.com/JFgMnMeERe
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) February 22, 2025

The Patriots hired Vrabel after the end of the 2024 season. The 49-year-old is in his second stint as a head coach after he coached the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23.

He led them to an AFC championship appearance and won Coach of the Year in 2021.

Vrabel played for the Patriots for most of her playing career from 2001-08. At that time, he established himself as one of the best to put on the Patriot colors. He is a three-time Super Bowl champion, made Fiest-team All-Pro in 2007, and is part of the New England Patriots All-2000s Team, New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team, New England Patriots All-Dynasty Team, and New England Patriots Hall of Fame.

The Celtics and Patriots know a thing or two about winning at the highest level. Between the two, they have a combined 24 titles two, and the Celtics have a chance to extend that to 25 this season.

The Celtics have the best odds to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy again this season, and they hope it will rub off on Vrabel and the Patriots sooner rather than later.

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