"Over the last five years, the Patriots have struggled to regain their relevance after spending twenty years dominating the rest of the NFL with unparalleled supremacy. While it was expected to happen in the absence of Tom Brady, it was not anticipated that the franchise would fall into the massive hole they have, which only worsened at the tail end of Bill Belichick's tenure."
"A lot has changed since then, which fortunately includes a new head coach and what already appears to be their next franchise quarterback. Although it might be a bit early to get too excited over the Mike Vrabel-Drake Maye era, it's certainly something the NFL is hyping ahead of the Patriots' first Sunday Night Football game of the season next week."
The Patriots suffered a multi-year decline after two decades of NFL dominance, a fall accelerated by quarterback instability and the end of Bill Belichick's era. Quarterback uncertainty prevented sustained competitiveness and drew league-wide notice. A 2023 primetime graphic highlighted that decline by featuring Belichick alongside an opposing defender instead of Patriots quarterbacks. Recent organizational changes include hiring Mike Vrabel and installing rookie Drake Maye, generating cautious optimism. The NFL's latest promotional graphics placing Maye front and center for an AFC East Sunday Night matchup signal external recognition of an early-stage New England rebound.
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