New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel may be 15 years removed from his playing days, but that didn’t stop the former linebacker from getting involved in a scrum on Wednesday.

During a joint practice with the Washington Commanders in Foxborough, Mass., the first-year Patriots coach jumped into a pile of players and came away with a bloodied cheek.

The scrum occurred after New England rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson went to block a blitzing Commander, which quickly escalated into multiple players piling up on the field.

Vrabel, who turns 50 on Aug. 14, later needed a bag of ice on his right cheek, but his actions drew praise from Patriots players.

“That’s what we’re trying to build and it starts with the head coach — intensity, bringing it every day, taking no crap when we’re out there on the field,” New England quarterback Drake Maye said. “The mentality, I like it. That’s what you want.”

Maye added that the Patriots will review the film of Vrabel getting involved in the squabble, which was quickly de-escalated. Washington and New England are set to open their preseason schedules against each other on Friday.

–Field Level Media