SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Patriots offensive line coach Doug Marrone, at 61, has experienced more football and more teams than most.
He played at Syracuse, and then in the NFL. He's been an NFL head coach twice, and a college head coach. This is his 18th NFL season. He's seen it all, from every angle, for a long time. So when he is asked and talks about the impact Mike Vrabel has had on this Patriots team in just one season, and Marrone starts to tear up, you take note. Actually, a lot more than that. It sort of stops you in your tracks.
"I get tears in my eyes thinking about it," Marrone said. "Yeah, I really do. It's amazing, because it's so amazing. I've been in this business a long time. It's been ... it's unbelievable. It really is unbelievable.
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It was something that I thought maybe couldn't be done anymore, with the personalities and everything that's in here, and this is probably the closest team that I've ever been a part of. I would say that's Coach Vrabel. And as soon as I said that, his first answer will be, 'It's the players and coaches.' It does come across as genuine.