Mike Vrabel reveals harsh truth about Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has known Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Yes, Kingsbury was a head coach for the Arizona Cardinals at the same time Vrabel was head coach for the Tennessee Titans. But their relationship goes back much further.

In 2003, Kingsbury was a sixth-round pick by the New England Patriots. He did not play during his rookie season, spending it on injured reserve. Even if Kingsbury were healthy, he wouldn't have played for New England.

Why? Tom Brady.

On Wednesday, Vrabel met with the media, where he was asked what he remembered most about Kingsbury from their time as teammates with the Patriots back in 2003. Vrabel was entering his seventh NFL season — third with New England — when the Patriots selected Kingsbury.

His answer was priceless.

“He wasn’t better than Tom Brady,” Vrabel said Wednesday, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “Kliff’s a good friend. I mean there’s a handful of coaches over there that I’ve played with in the league whether that’s a year, or in Larry [Izzo]’s case, eight years. So, they’ve got a good staff, they’ve got a good mix of guys that played in this league and other guys that didn’t, but that’s a good coaching staff that they have."

With the Commanders in town for a joint practice, Mike Vrabel was asked what he remembers about his former teammate and Washington OC Kliff Kingsbury:

“Um…he wasn’t better than Tom Brady.” 😂@WEEI@1067theFan#NEPats#RaiseHailpic.twitter.com/vX6cUrCTkr— Tom Carroll (@yaboiTCfresh) August 6, 2025

Vrabel was joking. We think. In all seriousness, he praised Kingsbury's coaching success.

“Kliff’s really done a nice job everywhere he’s been, offensively.”

In fairness to Vrabel, he wasn't wrong. And we think Kingsbury would probably agree, too.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Mike Vrabel reveals harsh truth about Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury