Patriots Earn High Praise From Fellow Boston Head Coach

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla have formed a kinship of sorts since the former was hired last year. Both world champions have attended each other's practices, and have spoken about the other coach's managements.

After Vrabel's Patriots clinched a spot in Super Bowl LX in a dramatic 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos, Mazzulla gave his flowers to his coaching counterpart.

"I think when you just take a look at it, they’re a team that’s developed an identity over the course of the season," Mazzulla said before the Celtics' game against the Portland Trail Blazers at TD Garden. "And every coach, regardless of the sport, is looking for that — creating that type of identity and consistency, and playing to that throughout an entire season. I think they’re a great example of that this year."

The Patriots have had a historic turnaround in Vrabel's first season on the sideline. From back-to-back 4-13 seasons, and two straight coaching changes, they're back in the Super Bowl after a seven-year hiatus. Before the season, Mazzulla attended one of the Patriots training camp practices, just like he had done so under Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo.

Jan 23, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks to guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"Joe is fantastic," Vrabel said over the summer. "I appreciate him, just from the time I got here, reaching out. We probably have different personalities, and I think that that’s probably the thing I appreciate the most about him. He’s always trying to learn and gain knowledge different ways — about building a team, about strategy, about scheme, about inspiring players to do their job well. So I always love my conversations with him."

Mike Vrabel, Joe Mazzulla Learn from One Another

Back in February, Vrabel attended one of the Celtics' practices on Mazzulla's invite.

"The four people that have these jobs (in Boston) for however long they have it, there’s got to be a brotherhood there," Mazzulla said when Vrabel was at practice. "There’s got to be communication and understanding of we’re all carrying a responsibility to compete at a high level and bring championships to this city. So you’ve got to learn from each other and have that perspective."

The Celtics are in the middle of a fairly impressive season considering star forward Jayson Tatum has missed the start of the year with a torn Achilles — sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

One of the people in attendance for the Celtics game? Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The 11-time AFC champion was court side and shown on the Jumbtron to a rowdy crowd. The Boston faithful will see their football team kick off Super Bowl LX in two weeks from Santa Clara, California.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!