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The standoff between the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick took another turn on Monday when head coach Mike Vrabel said that the former NFL coach is welcome at the team’s facility, despite Belichick’s previous remarks stating otherwise.
Vrabel’s comments come days after Belichick confirmed reports that Patriots scouts were banned from having access to the University of North Carolina program.
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA football game against Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
“It’s clear I’m not welcome there around their facility,” he said Saturday night after picking up his first win with the Tar Heels. “So, they’re not welcome at ours. It’s pretty simple.”
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But according to Vrabel, the door has always been open for the legendary coach.
“Nothing surprises me,” Vrabel said during his weekly appearance on WEEI radio Monday. “I mean, he came back for – to the best of my knowledge – Tom’s ceremony.”
Vrabel was referencing Belichick’s appearance at Gillette Stadium in June 2024 when Tom Brady was inducted into the team Hall of Fame.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel looks on during the first half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 21, 2025. (Vincent Carchietta/ Imagn Images)
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“I guess he’s welcome back based on the fact that he was there. So, I’ll just go by that. Since his departure as the head coach here, he’s been back and I’ll leave it at that.”
Belichick and the Patriots split after the 2023 season, with both calling the decision amicable, but reports at the time speculated that the split was anything but harmonious. Then, just last week, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said that Belichick would be getting his own statue in front of Gillette Stadium.
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft watch the field during the warm-up period before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)
“When that great 20-year era ended, it was always my intention to commission a statue for both Tommy and Bill when their respective careers were over, playing and coaching. When Bill’s coaching career ends, we look forward to sitting down with him and having a statue made to be right next to Tommy,” Kraft told CBS News.
It’s unclear what transpired over the last few weeks that led to the apparent bad blood between Belichick and the Patriots organization.
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Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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