New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots entered the 2025 offseason knowing they needed to make some changes. Immediately after winning their season finale against the Buffalo Bills in Week 18, team owner Robert Kraft opted to fire head coach Jerod Mayo, with Mike Vrabel being swiftly hired to replace him.
While the ensuing roster moves garnered quite a bit of attention, the decision to swap Mayo out for Vrabel is perhaps the most important decision the team made this offseason. The former Tennessee Titans head coach will be tasked with ushering in a new era for a Patriots team that has struggled since Tom Brady’s departure back in 2020.
Mayo wasn’t given a long leash in New England, as he was fired after just one season, but it’s safe to assume that Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls with the Pats as a star linebacker during his playing career, will be given time to figure things out.
Kraft, for one, was quick to admit his mistake in hiring Mayo, and he’s sought to remedy the situation by bringing in Vrabel. With the new campaign drawing near, Kraft made it clear he’s got high hopes for the Patriots now that Vrabel is in charge.
“I personally am very excited,” Kraft said of Vrabel’s arrival on “Dudes on Dudes.” “The last two years have been very tough. After my family, this team is the most important thing. The one thing that brings everybody together is the NFL, and we gotta win. I believe we’re set up this year to turn around what’s gone on the last couple of years.”
If there was one silver lining from New England’s horrific 2024 campaign, it was the play of rookie quarterback Drake Maye under center. In 13 games, Maye threw for 2,276 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also rushing for 421 yards and another pair of scores.
The fact that Maye was able to do that with a limited supporting cast was quite impressive. After a busy offseason, the former North Carolina Tar Heel will enter his sophomore season with an improved squad around him.
If Vrabel can reach his new team from the get-go and convince them to buy into his program, the Patriots could be a sneaky wild card team in the AFC. Based on Kraft’s comments, that seems to be along the lines of what he’s expecting from this team in 2025.
