Predictions before the 2025 season began had the New England Patriots barely improving on their previous season's record, with most analysts and fans expecting they would win only a few more games and miss the playoffs. Heading into Week 13, they're hoping to win their 11th game of the season, retain their positioning at the top of the AFC East and the conference, and extend their win streak before their bye.
It's a welcome surprise to see the longtime successful franchise back at the top of the league, at least, for those who support New England, and there continue to be more signs that the team is officially back, and the latest is who is in attendance for their final primetime matchup.
Given their historical success, it has been fairly common for some of the Patriots' biggest stars to be at Gillette Stadium for a game during the season. That hasn't been the case in recent years, however, but this season is different.
Before Monday's game against the Giants, legends Willie McGinest and Randy Moss were shown on the sideline, hoping to catch some good action by their former team against a longtime foe.
Randy Moss & Willie McGinest are in the building for Pats-Giants pic.twitter.com/DGKHGDADCw
— Follow: @ThrowbackPATS (@ThrowbackPATS) December 2, 2025
If that's not a sign that the Patriots are officially back, it's hard to say what would be.
The stars continue to come out for the Patriots this season
The last few seasons in Foxboro have been rough for a team that sat at the top of the NFL for two decades. Although it was expected that, once Bill Belichick and Tom Brady left, the team would crumble and fall into mediocrity, the way it did was not.
The hope with hiring Mike Vrabel and a new coaching staff was that they would slowly but surely climb their way from the bottom of the league and become contenders again in a few years, so the fact that it looks to be happening already this season is impressive.
That has a long list of former Patriots players excited about what they can accomplish, as the playoffs are starting to come into focus with only a handful of games left to be played. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Vrabel, a Super Bowl champion with the team, is the head coach.
Hopefully, their success this season will continue, and we'll see more stars turn out to cheer them on, as fans love to see some of the best players of the dynasty era at Gillette for any reason or another, but especially when the team is playing well.