Following the disappointing experiment of Jerod Mayo as the Patriots' head coach, there were high expectations surrounding Robert Kraft's hiring of Mike Vrabel to take over. He had previously been the favorite for the job, with most believing he should have been the successor to Bill Belichick, but the Titans didn't fire him until a year later.
Once he was announced as the one to replace Mayo this year, the optimism regarding the Patriots' chances during the 2025 season skyrocketed, especially with Drake Maye under center as the expected franchise quarterback of the future, and a wildly improved roster around him.
It has prompted many to suggest that New England could give the Bills problems in the division and possibly even make the postseason as a wild-card team, marking their first trip to the playoffs since 2021. However, the belief in what the team can accomplish this fall extends beyond a potential playoff run, as the latest bold prediction has Vrabel winning Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.
Mike Vrabel could join elite company with a successful first season as the Patriots head coach
Within his list of 100 bold predictions for the NFL's 2025 season, Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr believes Vrabel will win the prestigious award for his work to successfully bring the Patriots back to relevancy in his first season back in Foxboro.
He previously won the award in 2021, helping to lead the Titans to a 12-5 record, and could be set to join some notable head coaches if he were to win it again for the 2025 season.
Considering how much work needed to be done to make the Patriots a competitive team again, a prediction like this would mean Vrabel accomplished a lot more than anyone could have imagined in his first year. It sets a high bar for what's to come, as it's only June, and there is a lot of football to be played to truly see if the work done this offseason will make a significant difference in production.
Given the talent that has been signed and the coaching staff that has been hired, there's reason to believe this prediction isn't as bold as some might think. The Patriots were in a precarious position going into this offseason, making it easy for head coaching candidates to turn their backs on the opportunity to take over the team.
However, Vrabel embraced the unfavorable circumstances and sought to deliver the best possible offseason, and based on what we've seen so far, he has done just that. So the suggestion that his work could ultimately lead to COTY recognition isn't too surprising and just adds even more excitement to look forward to during the upcoming season.