#new-england-patriots

#new-england-patriots

The New England Patriots fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl by a score of 29-13. While the 16-point delta was a comfortable one for Seattle, New England never stood much of a chance. They didn't score until the fourth quarter, and their best defensive efforts were in vain as the offense failed to move the football. Drake Maye was poor, the offensive line struggled, and the receivers showed they clearly aren't good enough to win their matchups consistently.

The New England Patriots were flat-out destroyed in the Super Bowl this year. While the final score showed a difference of just two possessions, the offense went an entire half without a drive of more than 28 yards. Going into the fourth quarter, they didn't have a single point, and while they managed a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, the effort was in vain.

The Patriots enter the 2026 offseason in a far different position than in recent years, primarily because Mike Vrabel is returning as head coach rather than Robert Kraft having to conduct another search, as he has since 2023. That's a positive after the devastating Super Bowl loss, but it was a productive and impressive season. That doesn't mean, however, that Vrabel might not make some changes to his coaching staff, particularly on defense, as most Patriots fans know, Terrell Williams was hired as the defensive coordinator but had to miss the 2025 season due to a cancer diagnosis.

There's a lot of fence-mending that's going to need to happen if the Raiders are going to hang on to Maxx Crosby. It goes all the way to the top of the organization with Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero. The way the communication happened with the injury in December left a mark. This is a guy who's incredibly loyal to the Raiders organization, wanted to spend his entire career there, and is loyal to Mark Davis as well.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Patriots are moving defensive coordinator Terrell Williams into a "high-ranking" role on Mike Vrabel 's staff - opening up the defensive coordinator position for the 2026 season. Rapoport noted that Patriots inside linebacker coach Zak Kuhr is considered the top candidate to take over as the team's full-time DC moving forward. Williams - who was named as New England's DC after spending six seasons with the Titans - had to take a leave of absence in the spring because of health issues.

The New England Patriots had an active 2025 offseason, spending the most in free agency of any team and selecting 11 players in the NFL Draft. 10th in effective cap space and owning 12 selections in the 2026 draft, they may be one of the league's more active teams once again. While cap space and draft capital are no issue for New England, the NFL may make a rule change that could give them even further capital to play with.

In the end, the many parallels the 2025 Patriots drew during their unexpectedly wonderful season to the beloved 2001 edition cannot include the comparison everyone wanted the most. Those 2001 Patriots stand alone as the most improbable champion in franchise history, and perhaps NFL history. A victory over the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX might have put this season's Patriots in their company, given the combined 8-26 record the previous two seasons.

There wasn't much the New England Patriots did to cheer about in the 29-13 drubbing they sustained against a superior Seattle Seahawks team. The better team won, and getting torched by 16 is always preferable to getting edged by a point or two. MVP-level quarterback Drake Maye will be back. And another key piece, one of the few who excelled in the Super Bowl, Mack Hollins, will also return.

"There's a lot of fence-mending that's going to need to happen if the Raiders are going to hang on to Maxx Crosby," Breer said on NBC Sports Boston's Early Edition. "It goes all the way to the top of the organization with Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero. The way the communication happened with the injury in December left a mark."

The New England Patriots were never supposed to make it all the way to the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel's first season as head coach, but their perseverance and mostly impressive performances throughout the regular season made that not only possible but also a reality. The problem is that their success was also accompanied by plenty of weaknesses, and that was on full display on Sunday against a dominant Seahawks' defense.

One key player who is set to be a free agent this offseason is K'Lavon Chaisson, who joined the Patriots on a bargain deal worth just $3 million and had a crazy year in New England. The 20th overall pick in the 2020 draft spent four years in Jacksonville before signing with the Raiders for a year and then the Patriots. His one year in New England was a good one, as he tallied 7.5 sacks and 18 QB hits during the regular season.

Looking ahead at the Patriots' offseason: With the 29-13 defeat in Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks, the Patriots head into the offseason on a decidedly sour note. Yet just as the majority of the 2025 season was one built on optimism, the same narrative will likely hold true in the coming months. Setting aside the Super Bowl disappointment, New England remains in an advantageous position in terms of its roster and the potential to improve.

The New England Patriots won their first title in the 2001 season after Tom Brady took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe early in the season. Brady went 11-3 and helped lead head coach Bill Belichick to Super Bowl XXXVI, where the Patriots upset the Rams 20-17 on a game-winning field goal by Adam Vinatieri. Tom Brady won the Super Bowl MVP.

Seattle is being led by quarterback Sam Darnold, who joined the Seahawks after being ditched by the Vikings last offseason, despite leading Minnesota to a 14-win season. A victory on Sunday would be especially sweet for the former USC Trojan, after Darnold was drafted by the New York Jets in 2018 and bounced around the NFL for years before finally finding what looks like a long-term home in Seattle.