Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel's Wife Made Rare Move Before Super Bowl
The New England Patriots were one of the worst teams in the NFL during the 2024 season as then-rookie quarterback Drake Maye struggled to adjust to the professional game.
Just one season later, Maye finished runner-up in the NFL's MVP voting - just five total points behind Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford - and has his team in the Super Bowl. What changed?
The team hired Mike Vrabel, who earned Coach of the Year honors for the second time after leading the Patriots to a 14-3 regular season record and an AFC title. Shortly before the team's playoff run, his wife, Jen, made a rare public appearance while supporting the team.
Family and football: Mike Vrabel, with wife Jen, arrives at MetLife Stadium. pic.twitter.com/U3wD2AYVy9
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 28, 2025
Vrabel Met His Wife in College
Vrabel and his wife Jen have been married for 26 years, but their romance began well before that when then-Jen Boleyn noticed the hulking 6-foot-4 Vrabel in their time management lecture as freshmen.
In an interview with The Tennessean, the 5-foot-10 volleyball player revealed she "found him funny enough to ask the professor for his phone number. She remains one of Ohio State's all-time assists leaders at the school where Vrabel earned Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year as a junior and senior before being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round.
Vrabel credits his wife's support for making the league in the first place. “[Jen] challenged me to get into the NFL after spending some time at Ohio State,” he revealed in 2018.
Mike, Jen Vrabel Have 2 Sons Together
The Vrabel's have two sons together, Tyler and Carter - who made his appearance into the world while his father was still on the practice field as a player.
"I'm not proud to say this, but I'm just going to tell you about my wife. She gave birth to Carter, I missed it, I was at practice, she was in Ohio,” Vrabel admitted.
"He came early, he flipped, they had to take her. I showed up four hours late because I was playing football and she was having a baby. I love her to death. She’s been through a lot and she understands this league."
The Couple Finds Time for Each Other
When their sons were in high school, the couple would come together for date nights on Fridays.
Jen told ESPN in 2019, "Fridays are always our nights because we have a teenage son that doesn't want to hang out with Mom and Dad, so he goes to high school football games.
"It's fun. He's usually home earlier, and we grab dinner. When he coached in college, he really didn't have a night like that, so we cherish that night. It was the same when he played. Fridays were always the best. It became like a date night or family night."
It's not a Friday, but the couple will have plenty to celebrate this weekend if the Patriots are able to win Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8. The game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
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