Over the past five years, as the Patriots' quick shift from the top of the league to the very bottom, they have joined the likes of the Browns and the Jets in not getting many, if any at all, primetime games during the NFL season. They were once a team everyone wanted to watch, whether as a fan or a biggest-hater, and inevitably became one of the biggest jokes in the league.
There was hope that this would change under Mike Vrabel, especially since he would be working with a young, promising quarterback like Drake Maye and would bring an experienced, talented staff.
As we saw, they exceeded expectations and made it all the way to the Super Bowl, and in the process, had games shifted into primetime over the course of the year. It was clear they had reached the heights of a relevant team again, so there was hope that this would remain true with the 2026 schedule.
And the NFL certainly delivered on that by awarding them five primetime games, including two Thursday Night matchups, plus an international game in Munich, Germany, which could be considered in the primetime category, as it is a standalone game on Sunday morning.
If that's not a sign that the Patriots are officially back, then it's hard to say what would be.
The NFL recognizes the Patriots as a legitimate team again for the 2026 season
As the 2025 season progressed and the Patriots continued to stack wins, it was clear they would be back on the league's radar, despite hopes they would remain a mediocre or worse team for much longer than just five years.
It was a nightmare scenario for their biggest rivals, who arguably include commissioner Roger Goodell, as the AFC enjoyed not having the Patriots rule supreme each and every season.
And while it might take a few more years to regain that reputation, they got themselves back on the map with an impressive Super Bowl run that forced their upcoming opponents to circle their matchup on the calendar.
The league co-signed that by giving them six standalone games during the season, with more possible depending on how the year goes. That should frighten their opponents, as many attributed their success last season to a "cupcake schedule."
That won't be the case this year, since they are facing a first-place schedule and are projected to have a tougher time replicating last season's success.
However, given how often they'll be on primetime television, it's not a concern for the league, or else they wouldn't be featured as often.
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