Assistant Head Coach/ Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone (10.23.25)
So, Bubba, can you talk about what it’s going to be like? What do you guys expect going against a Mike Vrabel coached team and how cool is it for you to, after spending so much time throughout your career with him and last year and everything, to go up against him?
“Yeah, I mean, Mike has really been my…I would say a guy that I’ve looked up to since I was a rookie, both as a player and now as a coach. Really good relationship with Mike. Have learned a lot from him and continue to learn from him a lot. You know, have gone against him quite a bit, obviously when he was in Tennessee and I was in Indy (Indianapolis). He does a really good job with his team. Mike Vrabel is what football is all about. It’s always going to be a team that is hard working, physical, disciplined, smart and that’s pretty much how they operate on all three of their units.”
And yesterday he touted you for a head coaching opportunity someday. I know how much you guys respect each other, so what was it like to hear something like that from him?
“I just have so much respect for him and how he’s really just like the same guy all the time, regardless of what’s going on – player, coach. He sets an example for how things are supposed to be done. Like, I just remember times, like whenever we were back in New England and he’s taken every rep defensively in practice and then he’d come over and run scout team, free safety and he play on special teams, and I’m playing wing on punt and he’s lined up at tackle in his, like, 10th season in the NFL, in the season where he actually made the Pro Bowl. So just stuff like that just, I mean, you just respect the guy that’s willing to do anything for the team and he’s obviously a tremendous coach.”
What is the biggest I mean, you said you’ve learned a lot from Mike. Is there one thing in particular that you’ve kind of had become like a central tenant for you that’s from some of those lessons you learned from him?
“I honestly think it’s just like be true to who you are, honestly, and I think people respect that. I think that the hard work and the toughness, both physically and mentally, that he’s shown throughout his career, both as a player and as a coach. He really is a true. I mean, he and (Tedy) Bruschi were the two guys that I learned so much from up there, Rodney Harrison as well. But you know, him and Bru, just like they were like coaches on the field. So just being able to see that at a young age and just take that with me throughout the rest of my career.”
And what did he bring to you guys here last year? Didn’t he leave some of that mark on the Browns?
“Well, I think that’s the thing with Mike is like he just, he sets that example like he’s willing to do anything. Like last year he comes here in that like quote consultant role. He’s really helping out the offense, and he’s running the scout team, punt return unit for me and helping me coach the half line punt. So just, you know, in putting on the, whatever the pad is where guys are learning and developing how to strike on punts, stuff like that, you just don’t see people do that.”
Bubba, when you go up against a team like the Patriots that have two rookies on their placement team, does that give you any more reason to study and focus to see if there’s an edge you can make on this? The snapper and the kicker, I think are rookies.
“Yeah, the kicker’s done a nice job. You know, obviously looked at the snapper in the pre-draft process. Both of those guys have done a nice job to this point. Look, the guy that is a huge problem is 41, (Brenden) Schooler. That guy is, he is everywhere. He’s the best in the league. It’s crazy. So, they go from having the best special teamer in NFL history, Matt Slater, who should be a first ballot Hall of Famer, to, now they have the next best special teamer in the league in Brenden Schooler.”
Bubba, this past week, just what did you think of that play Grant (Delpit) had to punch the ball out and obviously Rayshawn (Jenkins) recovering it too.
“I think just in the game it was a big shift in momentum. Not that we didn’t have the momentum at the time, but it just gave us even more momentum. So, we’re, it’s 10-3, we’re kicking off, forced the fumble and able to go down and convert and score a touchdown. Now you’re up two scores and it’s 17-3. It just gave us a lot of momentum in the game.”
How big is it to have a guy like Grant though, who, you know, he talked about how meaningful special teams is? I mean, he’s a vet in that room.
“We’ve gotten good contributions from guys like Grant, starters just willing to do anything it takes him and Jenk (Rayshawn Jenkins), really. Devin Bush has done a good job for us. So, you know, credit to those guys that are selfless and doing anything they can to help our team out.”
Bubba going off of that. He also, Grant also said that he takes pride in not only special teams, but also making plays for a coach like you. How have you know, built that relationship with all those guys on special teams? How important is that to you?
“Yeah, when you say that, I kind of get chills a little bit, honestly, because I feel like, you know, I think that’s like the most important part about my job is being able to build relationships and develop players and see their development over their careers. I know I’ve said that before, but you know, having a relationship outside of football, getting to know these guys, like I see Grant’s mom at every game. I’m always like saying hi to her whenever she’s on the sideline, pre-game, stuff like that. So, he’s a special kid and he’s a really good football player.”
What do you think about that development factor? To have your hands in so many rookies getting special teams work and things like that, to have a guy like Grant, a veteran, what does that do in shaping and helping the development of the younger guys who are watching him?
“Yeah, I mean, it parallels what I was just talking about with the Vrabes, how at a young age you’re seeing the guy that’s in his – I don’t even know what year this is for Grant, probably like his fifth or sixth, seventh, whatever it is. You’re seeing a guy that is a defensive starter, that’s a Pro Bowl caliber like player at his position, factoring, you know, for us in multiple phases. A young guy, young undrafted guy, he’s going to see Grant Delpit setting the example and just be like, “Wow, this guy’s willing to do anything, going to take. So you just get that, it just trickles on down.”
How much of a challenge is it kicking in that stadium (Gillette Stadium) or playing in that stadium? Because you’ve been there and played many times before and has it changed any since they’ve closed that one end up?
“To my recollection, it probably hasn’t changed a ton. Look, it’s a tough place to kick. The weather’s never good there. It looks like the weather might be decent for our game, but who knows. We just played in some weather and some elements this past weekend, so I think that was a good thing for us.”
Bubba, you mentioned Rayshawn. What impact have you seen him have, whether it’s in your unit or just overall across the team and on that defense?
“Yeah, I think – well, the thing with Rayshawn is he’s a true professional. He really is. He’s been in the league a long time. He played a lot, in college, he played a lot in the kicking game, so he’s familiar with those techniques and he’s done it for quite a while. The thing also with him is he’s a super smart kid and he can play a lot of different things because he is physical and he’s got good size, so he can match up against bigger body types at times. But like I said, he’s, guys like that, he and Grant, they’re just – whatever you ask them to do, they’re willing to do it.”