New England Patriots - NESN.com
Things are looking up for the New England Patriots. Much of the optimism heading into the 2025 season revolves around the person calling the shots on the sideline: Mike Vrabel.
On the field, the former Patriots linebacker was a beast, earning an All-Pro and Pro Bowl bid while helping New England win three Super Bowls.
Off the field, the 49-year-old Vrabel has enjoyed more success, earning NFL Coach of the Year honors in 2021 with the Tennessee Titans.
It’s that pedigree which landed him at No. 16 in CBS Sports’ ranking of all 32 NFL head coaches.
“Is the former Patriots linebacker a solid bet after a mostly directionless Jerod Mayo dalliance? His zesty approach as a former Titans leader suggests as much,” CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin wrote Monday.
“Still, Tennessee never quite escaped its reputation as an old-school offense under his watch. This marriage looks promising on his preferred side of the ball thanks to new personnel, but Drake Maye’s growth is the real X factor,” Benjamin concluded.
With that in mind, Vrabel and Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf have beefed up New England’s offense.
The Patriots signed former All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a three-year, $69 million contract and used the No. 4 pick overall in the 2025 NFL Draft on offensive tackle Will Campbell.
New England also brought back Josh McDaniels for his third tour of duty in Foxborough, Mass.
This fact shouldn’t be overlooked since the only time former first-round pick Mac Jones looked like an NFL starting quarterback was his rookie year, when he earned Pro Bowl honors while playing in McDaniels’ system.
