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Vrabel fined after profanity toward referee Bill Vinovich

By Drooid · Oct 5, 2026, 3:08 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Mike Vrabel Penalized

Mike Vrabel was penalized for swearing at referee Bill Vinovich during New England’s 29-26 win over Buffalo.
Vinovich said Vrabel called the holding call a “f—— terrible call,” which triggered the penalty.
Vrabel admitted using profanity and said he’d said the phrase 87 times as head coach.
He apologized for the comment.
The league may fine Vrabel; Patrick Mahomes was fined $50,000 for a similar violation in 2023.

Summary

Patriots Rally Victory

Patriots rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit to win 34-30, their largest margin this season.
Quarterback Drake Maye threw three touchdowns, including a 23-yard pass to Efton Chism III late.
The win evened New England’s record at 2-2 and halted Buffalo’s bid for a two-game division lead.
Josh Allen’s 88th career touchdown passed Thurman Thomas, making him the Bills’ all-time scoring leader.

History

Historical Context

Since Commissioner Roger Goodell intensified discipline after the 2007 Spygate and the 2015 Deflategate scandal—where the Patriots paid a $1 million fine and were found with 11 under-inflated balls—the league has imposed larger on-field penalties. In 2024, Titans coach Mike Vrabel was fined for profanity toward referee Bill Vinovich, echoing recent fines such as Patrick Mahomes’ $50,000 sanction in 2023.

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Mike Vrabel Penalized

Mike Vrabel was penalized for swearing at referee Bill Vinovich during New England’s 29-26 win over Buffalo.
Vinovich said Vrabel called the holding call a “f—— terrible call,” which triggered the penalty.
Vrabel admitted using profanity and said he’d said the phrase 87 times as head coach.
He apologized for the comment.
The league may fine Vrabel; Patrick Mahomes was fined $50,000 for a similar violation in 2023.

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