The New England Patriots were joined by the Philadelphia Eagles this week for joint practices ahead of Saturday's preseason matchup, which the Patriots narrowly won by a score of 24-21 following a touchdown from James Madison UDFA Nick DeGennaro with just 1:03 left in the game.
Neither the Eagles nor the Patriots played their starters, with both sides feeling they got solid enough work from the joint practices.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has been quite successful in his short time with the Eagles, making two Super Bowl appearances since his hiring in 2021 and winning his first in 2024 in dominant fashion against the Chiefs.
On the joint practice experience with New England, Sirianni heaped praise on the Patriots and Mike Vrabel. He described the team as "a quality opponent who's well coached," saying that the teams were "able to get two really good days."
These comments from a Super Bowl-winning head coach mean something, especially considering the state of the Patriots not long ago. These feelings are a testament to Mike Vrabel's impact since signing with New England at the beginning of 2025 and how much he's been able to rebuild the team.
Mike Vrabel's impact over the past year cannot be ignored
The Patriots' resurrection over the past season under Mike Vrabel has been something to behold. After finishing 8-26 across 2023 and 2024 and the departure of two head coaches in that time, Vrabel had plenty of work to do.
While Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez were building blocks, plenty of work remained.
After being the biggest spender in free agency in 2025 and making eleven selections in the draft, Vrabel was able to overturn a massive portion of the roster. He cleared out players from old regimes by releasing Ja'Whaun Bentley and Jabrill Peppers, and trading Davon Godchaux, Ja'Lynn Polk, Kyle Dugger, and Keion White.
He gave young players chances to make impacts right away. Will Campbell and Jared Wilson started on the offensive line immediately, while TreVeyon Henderson totaled over1,100 yards as a rookie. Kyle Williams contributed as a deep threat, while Craig Woodson had an excellent rookie season at safety.
This season, the Patriots once again spent big in free agency and added nine players via the draft. After making the Super Bowl in 2025, returning and being victorious will no doubt be the focus.
Sirianni's comments are a microcosm of what Vrabel has done for the New England Patriots.
Add us as a preferred source on Google