That message is rooted in a lesson Vrabel learned the hard way as a rookie linebacker with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997, when he got into a fight on the very first day of full-

FOXBOROUGH — In his first padded practice as an NFL player in 1997, Mike Vrabel said he fought tight end Mitch Lyons at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. With almost 30 more years of age and experience, Vrabel wants his current players to avoid punching their teammates.

Before the Patriots took the field for their first padded practice of the new season, Vrabel was asked to recall his first day in full pads as a Steelers rookie in 1997, during which he got into it with a Pittsburgh tight end.