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Many people believed that the New England Patriots would improve in 2025. But not very many saw this coming. With a Week 17 game against the New York Jets on tap, the Patriots are tied with the Denver Broncos atop the AFC at 12-3. The quick turnaround has led people to theorize that Mike Vrabel should win the NFL Coach of the Year award.
Every season around Christmas time, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero releases the results of his anonymous survey from around the NFL. He gathers information from high-ranking executives across the league regarding various NFL awards.
This year, Pelissero met with representatives of 30 teams, including 21 general managers who spoke on the condition of anonymity. One thing was made very clear: Vrabel is regarded as a heavy favorite to win the award.
The Patriots’ head coach received 13 first-place votes, which is more than double that of the Chicago Bears’ top man, Ben Johnson (6).
Vrabel took over a flailing franchise that had eight wins combined over the previous two seasons. Similar to what he did with the Tennessee Titans, the former Patriots linebacker righted the ship overnight.
A win Sunday vs. the Jets, combined with a Buffalo Bills’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, would result in another AFC East crown. That seemed far-fetched when the season began.
The emergence of second-year quarterback Drake Maye has a lot to do with that. The former UNC Tar Heel is in the MVP conversation, having played stellar football all season.
Meanwhile, Johnson and the Bears have had quite the season themselves. They are one win or a single Green Bay Packers’ loss away from winning the NFC North. Caleb Williams has taken a huge leap forward under Johnson’s tutelage.
Vegas clearly agrees with many GMs, as Vrabel is the odds-on favorite for the award. But the field is stacked with coaches having exceptional seasons, including Johnson, Kyle Shanahan, Mike Macdonald, and Liam Coen.
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