Patriots players praise Mike Vrabel after clinching playoff spot

The 2025 Patriots have made an unbelievable turnaround.

In January, things looked dreary for the team. They finished the 2024 regular season with a 4-13 record and had one of the NFL's worst offenses (31st in yards, 30th in points). Fast forward to now, however, and things are entirely different. The Patriots are 13-3, leading the AFC East and in contention for the AFC's top seed.

Many attribute New England's quick success to the fact that they spent $300 million on free agents and drafted an excellent tackle in Will Campbell, but that attribution is not entirely correct. Going from a bottom-feeder to elite team in under a year takes more than player talent. It requires exceptional performance from non-players as well.

The most impactful non-player has been head coach Mike Vrabel, and he has played an instrumental role in the team's success. Following Sunday's 28-24 comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens, multiple Patriots players supported the notion that the 50-year-old coach deserves boatloads of credit.

Speaking with NBC after the game, wide receiver Stefon Diggs noted the mentality the coach is building in his team.

“I feel like Vrabes is doing something really special…We run sprints every Wednesday...It’s not just the sprints, it’s the mentality. You go into games like this and you’re tired. You got leaders like Mack Hollins. Even Drake Maye as a young quarterback being poised…There’s a lot of carryover, that stuff matters to me. I feel like being a leader is just part of being me, and they let me be me.”

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who tossed for an exceptional 380 yards and two touchdowns, also acknowledged the 50-year-old coach after the game. Maye noted how he appreciated Vrabel's instruction to always cherish valuable moments which "you can't buy." 

"This game, it’s brutal," Maye said, via Tom Carroll. "There’s times where injuries and losses weigh on you, but this winning feeling, there’s nothing like it. And Coach reminded us of that pregame. “He said, ‘You can’t buy that back, winning in that locker room.’ And at his age, he always says, ‘I wish I could suit up again, and you just can’t buy that. You can buy anything else in life, but you can’t buy this time we’re in right now.’ And what a time it is." 

Vrabel and the Patriots have two more regular season games. They play the Jets (3-12) on Sunday and the Dolphins (6-9) the following week. If New England wins both games, they will win the AFC East for the first time since 2019.