Tom Brady ‘So Happy‘ for Mike Vrabel and Patriots for Making It Back to Super Bowl

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The Patriots are headed back to the Super Bowl after beating the Broncos 10-7 in the AFC championship game. It's the first time they've been to the Super Bowl since Tom Brady was their quarterback. Brady was asked about that in the Fox booth of the NFC championship game by broadcast partner Kevin Burkhardt.
Brady was incredibly effusive towards the players and coaches on his former team—especially his former teammate Mike Vrabel and his longtime offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels.
'"Just so happy for Mike Vrabel."- @TomBrady reacts to the @Patriots heading back to the Super Bowl 👏
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 26, 2026
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/ucz2vtHusH
"Just so happy for Mike Vrabel, a former teammate of mine," said Brady. "Kind of went to New England, no one was quite sure how they'd do. Back-to-back 4-13 seasons, and they turn into a road AFC victory in Denver. I know how hard that is. Josh McDaniels has done an incredible job as coordinator. Drake Maye, that defense. This is gonna be a hell of a Super Bowl matchup."
Brady also noted he would be at the Super Bowl, which will be played at Levi's Stadium, right next to the electrical substation that probably has nothing to do with the 49ers’ injury problems. He'll be back in his home town to watch a team he helped win seven Super Bowls. Vrabel was there for three of those, and McDaniels was there for six.
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Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.
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