ClutchPoints
The New England Patriots were hoping for a year of progress when they hired Mike Vrabel to become their head coach last year. He had the background and the know-how as a Super Bowl-winning player with the team and a previous six-year assignment as head coach of the Tennessee Titans. He was clearly ready to take over the Patriots, he built a rapport with his players and he had a quarterback that was ready to take a step forward.
A .500 season that had them in contention for a playoff spot would have been a positive step for the Patriots, but they went far beyond that. After losing two of their first three games, the Patriots caught fire and won 13 of their final 14 games — including 10 in a row — to win the AFC East title.
That was just the beginning of an epic story as they rolled through the AFC playoffs, beating the Chargers, Texans and the Broncos. The victory over Denver on the road in the AFC title game was an accomplishment that Tom Brady and Bill Belichick never could check off on their resumes.
A loss to the Seahawks in the Super Bowl was painful, but it was a brilliant year. Expectations are much higher this year and the pressure will be on the Patriots when they kick of the season in their opening game at Seattle.
Vrabel has had a difficult offseason from a personal perspective. A challenging opening month awaits the coach and his players. The Patriots know that opponents will be fully prepared to face a talented team on an every-week basis.
Here’s a look at their position groups as they prepare for the start of training camp:
Drake Maye made a huge jump last year from trying to prove himself to a legitimate MVP candidate. An excellent combination of arm talent and athleticism, Maye threw for 4,394 yards with a spectacular 31 to 8 TD to interception ratio. Maye was focused throughout the playoffs, but he was overwhelmed by the Seahawks defense in the Super Bowl, so there is room to grow.
Backup Tommy DeVito has some arm talent and charisma as a backup, but it will be a huge drop-off if he is forced to play at any point in the season.
There is a tendency to downgrade starter Rhamondre Stevenson because he is not an All-Pro and he does not have explosive speed. However, he is a solid professional who led the team with 911 yards and 9 TDs last season. He is extremely dependable even though he does not have overwhelming athletic ability. TreVeyon Henderson was a dominant running back at Ohio State and he had a productive rookie year with 611 yards and 7 touchdowns. Look for even more production from him in 2026.
The Patriots made a huge addition in the offseason when they brought in A.J. Brown from the Eagles...
