"It all started with Mike Vrabel being hired on Jan. 12, when the transformation began. It's fitting that this team's potential is being compared to the 2001 Patriots that took home the first Super Bowl title in franchise history. Of course, it's quite a leap from being 8-2 atop the AFC East to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. But if the 2025 Patriots needed any inspiration, they need look no further than that 2001 team, which was led by a green, second-year quarterback named Tom Brady."
""That team in 2001, it was 5-5, won nine games after Thanksgiving...The NFL season, this is when it starts, and we'll have to be playing our best each and every week to give ourselves a chance. The comparisons and things are kind of interesting, but we know that they're not very important." Vrabel is right, the comparisons aren't important. Every NFL season is different."
Mike Vrabel was hired on Jan. 12 and catalyzed a rapid turnaround after a four-win 2024 campaign. The team improved to 8-2 and sits atop the AFC East, prompting comparisons to the 2001 Patriots. Both the 2001 and 2025 teams feature second-year quarterbacks—Tom Brady in 2001 and Drake Maye in 2025—underscoring the importance of a top NFL quarterback for championship potential. Vrabel maintains a week-to-week focus, cautioning against inflated expectations and noting that past turnaround patterns require sustained peak performance. The 2025 transformation mirrors the 2000–2001 rise and fuels genuine optimism for postseason success.
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