Mike Vrabel is a talented football coach as witnessed by the stellar record of wins by the New England Patriots. However, he is not a good crisis communications messenger as illustrated by his rambling, tepid and dismissive message to the media about his two star players accused of violence against women. His message that Pats fans should not jump to conclusions and let the investigative process play out fell flat.

As a crisis communications professional, here is a message that should have been delivered:

“As a husband, father and coach of a great football team, I abhor violence against women. I have zero tolerance for men who physically, verbally or mentally abuse women, no matter who they are. There is no excuse, no justification, and no gray area when it comes to domestic violence. I have been made aware of the serious allegations involving two of our players. These are allegations and accusations and, in our country, the accused are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. Because the investigation of these accusations is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further. We need to let the judicial process take its course. However, as a great football team, we must hold ourselves to a standard that goes beyond wins and losses. Wearing the uniform of a New England Patriot means representing the values of our fans, families, communities and especially women who deserve to feel safe. We stand with organizations and individuals who work every day to end this cycle of abuse. Our organization is committed to respect, responsibility, and doing what is right, even when it is difficult. This is who we must be.”

Words and messaging matter during an image and reputation crisis, when every move is judged in the court of public opinion. The message I created establishes moral clarity, shows leadership beyond football, supports victims and survivors and balances accountability with due process.

When players are accused of domestic violence, silence or vague statements can sound like tolerance. A clean condemnation draws a line that domestic violence is wrong, period, regardless of talent, status or winning games. This moral clarity matters to fans, families and especially women. Speaking directly on this issue signals that the team values character, accountability to the brand and respect toward women, reinforcing that football success never outweighs human dignity.

My statement condemns alleged behavior without prejudging legal outcomes. This is critical in crisis communications: it allows investigations and the judicial process to proceed while still affirming the team’s values. Lastly, professional sports teams have enormous cultural influence, especially on young men. When a coach with the reputation of Mike Vrabel speaks out against violence, it sends a powerful message that strength includes self-control, respect and accountability.

Billerica’s Rick Pozniak has spent decades in public and crisis communications, handling image and reputation problems for well known brands in Greater Boston.