During his weekly WEEI hit on The Greg Hill Show Thursday morning, Bill O’Brien touched on the hiring of Mike Vrabel and why it’s a good move, Josh McDaniels as a possible OC candidate and whether or not players missing the new head coach’s introductory press conference matters or not.
Here’s what he had to say:
On the respect Vrabel will command
“I think that…look, when a guy plays 14 years – it’s hard to play three years – to play 14 years, to do all the things he did as a player relative to the positions he played, the teammate that he was, the intelligence that he brought to the team and then transitioning into coaching, I think when he walks into the room – especially in pro football – he has instant cache. He can walk in there and understand what it means to be a player and put these guys in the best positions to win. I think…plus the fact, you have to have a level of intelligence because you have to be able to coach all three phases in pro football. I have a strong belief in that. You can’t just be an offensive guy or a defensive guy. I think that’s what he can do. He played special teams. He helped coach special teams for me in Houston with Larry Izzo when Izzo was there. Obviously coached defense. He coached offense this past year in Cleveland. So, I think he’ll do a hell of a job.”
On Maye not being at Vrabel’s press conference and if it mattered
“I’ll just speak for myself, I couldn’t care less. When the offseason program starts, you want (the quarterback) in the front row ready to go. It’s not about press conferences. Press conferences are great, but somebody told me one time that ‘it’s all great at the press conference and everything’s downhill from there.’ So, the press conferences are great, but like, who cares who is at the press conference? It’s about when the offseason program starts that you have 100% attendance, that everyone is there ready to go. You only have nine weeks I think in the offseason – at least when I was a head coach, it might be more or less or whatever – you only have nine weeks to be around your team. In college football we can be around our team every day, but not in pro football. Everybody’s got to be there. I’m sure Drake will be front row ready to go with his notebook out ready to lead the team.”
On Josh McDaniels
“Josh McDaniels is one of the best coaches…I’m very biased because when I went to the Patriots, I was quality control and I worked for Josh and Dante (Scarnecchia) for a full season. So, I was very involved with film breakdowns and things like that, but I was lucky enough to be in the offensive line meetings and quarterback meetings. I learned so much about football from Josh. He’s just a brilliant offensive coach. A very, very smart guy. A guy that just understands the position, the offensive system, the scheme. I think at the end of the day – if that’s the decision that Mike goes with – Mike and Josh have gotten together and they’ve worked it out if that’s the rout they go. I just think Josh is a great football coach.”