SPORTS history is littered with stories of teams being transformed from one season to the next. Indeed, Boston’s sports history tells those tales more than most. Consider Jonn Farrell’s worst-to-first turnaround from last-place in the AL East in the 2012 season to World Series champions after an emotionally charged season under the shadow of the Boston Marathon bombings.
The New England Patriots weren’t exactly the worst team in the NFL last year, but their 4-13 record acted as a reminder that the Brady-Belichick era was firmly in the history books. While it was always going to be difficult to follow a period of almost unparalleled success, there were some signs last season under Jerod Mayo that the current team had more to give. Mayo, however, was not the man for the job. It was a risk hiring Mike Vrabel in early 2025, but it was one that has already paid off.
Patriots’ Super Bowl odds have been slashed
At the time of writing, the Patriots are 13-3 and 4th favorites in the odds to win the Super Bowl at DraftKings. Most expected some improvement under Vrabel, especially as the team’s recruitment had been smart and solid, if not spectacular, yet very few pundits envisaged a turnaround of this magnitude. The Pats were widely predicted to win 8 or 9 games, perhaps sneaking into the Playoffs with a bit of luck. Even the most avid fans wouldn’t have predicted their team would spend the majority of the season with the NFL’s best record.
The interesting thing about this turnaround is that it has been performed with very little surgery to the roster. The famous “Beards” of the Red Sox’ 2013 season (yes, we know comparing baseball and football is like comparing apples and oranges) had enlisted veteran help for an overhaul, but most of the major changes for the Patriots came in the coaching setup, with a clean rebuild of the coordinators under Vrabel’s direction.
Of course, most of the credit on the field has gone to Drake Maye, who has suddenly become an MVP candidate at quarterback. Yet, Maye did show some signs last season of the talent that he held. He was, after all, selected for the Pro Bowl, albeit as a replacement for Josh Allen. He is only 23, and there is still a bit of rawness and perhaps the lack of nous that characterizes truly elite quarterbacks, but that might come. Vrabel – with astute knowledge of college football – cited Maye as one of the reasons he wanted to come to Foxborough. It’s clear he wants to develop a coach-quarterback axis for years to come. Yet, it’s too soon to start talking about emulating Brady and Belichick, but it’s clear that Patriots owner Robert Kraft and company are using that as a foundational blueprint for championship success.
Josh McDaniels deserves a lot of credit
On the other hand, some argue that Maye’s improvement has overshadowed the changes elsewhere. Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels’ fingerprints are all over a revamped offense, characterized by diversity of tactics and ingenuity, not wholly reliant on Maye digging them out of a hole. Defense – the 3rd tightest in the AFC – has also not gotten the credit it deserves.
Overall, though, the Patriots have been defined by a grittiness that Vrabel has built into the team. They were the only NFL team with an unblemished record on the road – 8-0 – this season, an incredible achievement. That included huge, season-defining wins in Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Cincinnati. That should continue to serve them well in the Playoffs, as evidenced by Sunday’s (1/11) Wild Card dismantling of the Los Angeles Chargers.
It’s not clear how far this team will go, or if a record-extending 12th Super Bowl appearance is on the cards, but this is already a turnaround for the ages. And whatever happens, one thing is for certain: the Patriots are back.
