Mike Vrabel has only been the head coach of the New England Patriots for one season, and the team is already in the Super Bowl. While everyone knew he was a great hire as soon as he got the job, no one outside of the building expected this fast of a turnaround.
Vrabel, however, knew the Patriots had some of the main ingredients to do something special.
Speaking with the media on Wednesday, the head coach was asked about his young quarterback Drake Maye, and when he knew he was special. Vrabel said he knew before even returning to New England, and admitted that the presence of Maye played a big role in him wanting to be the team’s head coach.
Mike Vrabel says he knew Drake Maye was special before he became the #NEPats head coach and he was a big reason he wanted to become their next head coach. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/NprKxBViUG
— Sara Marshall (@smarshxo) February 4, 2026
Mike Vrabel revealed a major reason why he wanted the Patriots job from the start
Vrabel didn’t coach in 2024, Maye’s rookie season, but he did serve as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns. The off year from being a head coach allowed him the opportunity to regroup, and also observe the league as a whole. In that observation, he saw Drake Maye in New England, and immediately recognized him as a special quarterback.
The head coach said things only went to another level once he became Maye’s coach, and got to watch him in practice every day. Vrabel especially praised the young quarterback’s ability to be accurate while on the move, acknowledging that Maye’s athletic nature is one of his unique traits.
In the pair's first season together, Maye completed 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also added 450 yards on the ground, and four rushing touchdowns. The team finished the regular season with a 14-3 record, and in the next few days, New England has the opportunity to add an MVP trophy and a Super Bowl victory to its season résumé.
While that’s exciting, and winning on Sunday is the most important thing, it’s also extremely exciting that this success has come so quickly. With Mike Vrabel in just his first season as the Patriots' head coach, and Drake Maye only in Year 2, at 23 years old, it’s hard for New England fans not to think about the possibility of this being the start of another dynastic run.