There wasn't much the New England Patriots did to cheer about in the 29-13 drubbing they sustained against a superior Seattle Seahawks team. The better team won, and getting torched by 16 is always preferable to getting edged by a point or two. MVP-level quarterback Drake Maye will be back.
And another key piece, one of the few who excelled in the Super Bowl, Mack Hollins, will also return.
More good news: Mike Vrabel and the Patriots have another offseason to add pieces of the puzzle. He'd better. A Divisional winners schedule will replace the Patriots' "soft" 2025 schedule, thanks to their knocking the Bills off their perch at the top of the AFC East.
Hollins will be back, but Vrabel has his work cut out for him if he's to further transform a Cinderella team into a legitimate NFL contender that can not only compete for but win a Super Bowl. That job began only in 2025, no matter what the team did in the playoffs.
Mack Hollins was a great free agent addition in 2025
After excelling for the Bills in 2024, Mike Vrabel snatched Mack Hollins from the Bills, a superb personnel decision. Hollins had been great and a top playmaker for the Bills in 2024, and he did the same for Vrabel, including in the Super Bowl in 2025.
Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald singled out wide receiver Mack Hollins as one of the Patriots' best performers in the Super Bowl.
"BEST: WR Mack Hollins: Hollins led the team with four catches on eight targets for 78 yards with a touchdown. His two catches on the Patriots’ first scoring drive were the Patriots’ only real signs of life."
In a game where there was little to crow about, Hollins stepped up big as he usually does and made key plays, including catching a touchdown pass with 12:27 left on the clock. That narrowed the Seahawks' lead to 19-7 and provided a glimmer of hope in the lost cause.
Expect Mack Hollins to remain a key cog in the Patriots' offense in 2026
Mike Vrabel deftly signed Mack Hollins to a two-year contract in the 2025 free agency. It was a smart move. Hollins not only shone in the Super Bowl but also had a solid season. He was an unqualified success and one of Vrabel's top free agent signings.
The 6'4", 221-pound receiver caught 46 passes for 550 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season. Demonstrating the big-play ability he showed in Buffalo, another 28 of his catches went for first downs in 2025. Mack Hollins is a big-playmaker whenever he plays, no matter where he plays,
The Patriots benefited from Hollins' excellence in 2025 and can expect him to deliver similarly in 2026 as a key target for a healthy Drake Maye. One thing Mike Vrabel should consider now is locking Hollins up for another season or two with an extension.
The only thing he'll get in return is more big plays at the most important times, as he did in the Super Bowl. Coach, please make it so.