The unique way Patriots coach Mike Vrabel selects weekly game captains: 'It's a dope thing'

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes astir the New England Patriots and the NFL:

1. Game captains: Every Friday successful the Patriots' squad meeting, manager Mike Vrabel showcases 1 subordinate and puts their precocious schoolhouse shot highlights connected the screen. The vigor successful the country usually rises arsenic Vrabel asks the radical if they cognize who it is.

This is what players picture arsenic 1 of the highly anticipated parts of the week, with Vrabel revealing the prime for who volition service arsenic a crippled captain.

In Week 3, for example, Vrabel selected antiaircraft tackle Milton Williams, who was coming disconnected a crippled successful which helium registered a game-clinching sack.

"It was cool. They pulled up my precocious schoolhouse 'Huddle' item from backmost successful the time and it was conscionable funny, seeing however skinny I was backmost then," Williams told ESPN.com. "They showed a prime oregon something, oregon a mates tackles clowning me, of people ...

"People are wondering who it is, and past he'll say, 'This is ...' and everyone busts retired laughing, trash-talking, saying 'You suck!" oregon whatever. It's a amusive thing."

The newest crippled skipper volition officially beryllium revealed Sunday erstwhile the Patriots (3-2) sojourn the New Orleans Saints (1-4) astatine the Caesars Superdome (1 p.m. ET, CBS). The crippled skipper joins astir of the team's imperishable captains -- choky extremity Hunter Henry, cornerback Marcus Jones, extracurricular linebacker Harold Landry III, backmost Drake Maye, peculiar teamer Brenden Schooler and linebacker Robert Spillane -- astatine midfield for the opening coin toss.

Game captains person been antiaircraft extremity K'Lavon Chaisson, followed by violative tackle Morgan Moses, Williams, information Jaylinn Hawkins and receiver Stefon Diggs. They each noted the token of respect for being picked, which reflects, successful part, an acknowledgement of their attack and committedness to the team.

The prime of Diggs -- against 1 of his erstwhile teams, the Bills -- highlights different taxable to Vrabel's selections.

"I deliberation Vrabes pays attraction to the details and helium knows however idiosyncratic this crippled tin get for immoderate of the players," said Chaisson, who was picked successful Week 1 arsenic the Patriots faced 1 of his erstwhile teams (Las Vegas Raiders). "Outside of conscionable the idiosyncratic [side], determination are ties that immoderate radical person to erstwhile teams oregon definite cities oregon immoderate it whitethorn be."

Because of that, starring candidates to service arsenic Week 6 crippled skipper see receiver Kayshon Boutte and violative tackle Read Entire Article