FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots removed linebacker Mike Vrabel from the PUP list today. Vrabel is participating in the Patriots' 2:30 p.m. training camp practice at Gillette Stadium.
Vrabel, 32, has played in 160 career games with 96 starts over 11 NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1997-2000) and Patriots (2001-07). The 6-foot-4-inch, 261-pound linebacker was signed by the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent on March 16, 2001, and has played in 109 games with 96 starts for New England while adding 44 sacks, 10 interceptions and eight regular-season receptions, all for touchdowns. He also has two playoff touchdown receptions for a combined total of 10 receptions for 10 touchdowns. In 2007, Vrabel was named a team captain and earned his first career Pro Bowl berth while earning a spot on the Associated Press All-Pro First Team. Vrabel's 12.5 sacks in 2007 were the highest total for a Patriots player in 20 years, dating back to Andre Tippett's 12.5-sack season in 1987. Vrabel was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week following an Oct. 28, 2007 game against Washington in which he recorded three strip-sacks and also caught a touchdown pass. Since joining the Patriots in 2001, Vrabel has totaled 12 strip-sacks in the regular season and three in the playoffs. Vrabel's 44 sacks in a Patriots uniform rank eighth in team history.
