New England Patriots
“I want them to be able to express what they believe in their heart and in their mind, but also want to make sure that they’re educated, and we want to be inclusive.”
Mike Vrabel discussed TreVeyon Henderson’s recent social media posts on Tuesday. AP Photo/Adrian Kraus
March 31, 2026 | 6:29 PM
2 minutes to read
Speaking to reporters at the annual NFL owners’ meetings in Phoenix, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel stressed the need for his players to recognize the “fine line” between expressing their personal beliefs and remembering that they “represent the team.”
Vrabel’s comments were in response to a question regarding running back TreVeyon Henderson’s recent posts on social media.
The Chicago Bulls’ decision to cut guard Jaden Ivey after he made several anti-LGBTQ+ comments on an Instagram livestream caught the attention of Henderson, who has been very outspoken about his Christian faith.
Commenting on a social media video that included Ivey’s opposition to the NBA’s Pride Month initiatives as a celebration of “unrighteousness,” Henderson posted a verse from the Bible on X.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” Henderson wrote in response to a video of Ivey’s remarks.
Henderson posted several other Bible verses on Monday, while also reposting a message from Jets cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, who wrote: “The world will try to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange. Believer or not, every single person on earth will soon have an appointment before Jesus. So if living for Christ makes us look crazy or “weird”, that’s okay because it isn’t strange to Christ.”
Speaking on Tuesday in Phoenix, Vrabel was asked about Henderson’s comments.
“I want to tell you, I love TreVeyon,” Vrabel said. “I love the person. He cares deeply about our team. He cares deeply about his faith. He cares deeply about his family, his wife, and the people in our building. And so, I want them to be able to express what they believe in their heart and in their mind, but also want to make sure that they’re educated, and we want to be inclusive.”
“Everything we want to do [is] to provide an environment for people to feel comfortable, but also to share their personal beliefs. And then also we represent the team. And we represent the organization.”
Ivey was released by the Bulls on Monday, with Chicago citing “conduct detrimental to the team.”
Ivey — drafted fifth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Pistons — called out the Bulls Monday night after he was cut.
“They’re liars, bro,” Ivey said on Instagram. “This is lying. They’re lying saying my conduct is detrimental to the team. That’s a lie. Ask any one of them coaches in there, ‘Was I a good teammate?’ All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ and they waived me. But they say I’m crazy, right? I’m psycho.”
Vrabel was asked on Tuesday if he’ll speak with Henderson and the rest of his players about Henderson’s comments.
“I usually try to,” Vrabel said. “We just want to educate them. We’re never going to tell them how to feel, but [we] certainly want to make sure that they understand that their actions represent something more than just themselves. And so I do think there’s a fine line.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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