Mike Vrabel’s return to New England was hailed as a homecoming, but few could have predicted just how quickly he’d restore the Patriots to glory. On Thursday night in San Francisco, as the NFL’s top stars and coaches gathered at the Palace of Fine Arts for the league’s annual Honors ceremony, Vrabel was named NFL Coach of the Year for the 2025 season. It’s the second time he’s claimed the award, but this one carries a special resonance: it marks the culmination of a historic turnaround season for the Patriots, who are now on the cusp of another Super Bowl appearance.
Vrabel, who previously won the award in 2021 while leading the Tennessee Titans, was not on hand to accept the honor. Instead, he sent a heartfelt video message, explaining his absence as he and his Patriots prepare for Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. “Ultimately, my name will go on this award, but this award belongs to a building,” Vrabel said in his speech. “It belongs to a staff and ultimately it belongs to the men in the locker room who believed when they couldn’t always see it and also bought in when it wasn’t easy. Appreciate that and everything they do. We did this together, and I always be thankful and grateful to be your coach.”
It’s not just the words that resonate, but the numbers behind them. Just a year ago, New England finished a dismal 4-13, their second straight season with that record. The franchise parted ways with Bill Belichick after the 2023 campaign and then, after only one season, dismissed Jerod Mayo as head coach. Vrabel, who had been a consultant with the Cleveland Browns after being let go by the Titans, was brought in to steer the ship. The results have been nothing short of remarkable: the Patriots stormed to a 14-3 regular season record, clinched the AFC East for the first time since 2019, and secured the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.
From there, the Patriots’ resurgence continued. Under Vrabel’s steady hand, they advanced through the playoffs and are now set to face the Seahawks in Sunday’s Super Bowl. Including the postseason, Vrabel’s Patriots have tallied 17 wins—tying George Seifert’s 1989 San Francisco 49ers for the most victories by a first-year head coach, with the chance to break that record if they can claim the Lombardi Trophy this weekend.
Vrabel’s achievement is even more striking given the context. He became the first coach in NFL history to inherit a team that lost 13 or more games and then win at least 13 games in his first season. If the Patriots win on Sunday, Vrabel would become the fifth coach to win a Super Bowl in his first year on the job. Even more impressively, he’d be the first person ever to win a Super Bowl as both a player and coach for the same franchise. Vrabel, of course, was a key part of the Patriots’ dynasty as a linebacker from 2001 to 2008, winning three Super Bowls alongside Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
“Vrabes, you’re like my brother,” Brady said earlier this week, naming Vrabel one of his four recipients for the LFG Coach of the Year. “I love ya, I’m so proud of ya. Even though you went to Ohio State, your caliber of decision-making was questionable back then, you’ve become a great teammate of mine and a Super Bowl champion. Not to mention a great goal line, and I’m just going to mention a goal line, wide receiver. You didn’t do anything outside of the 1-yard line. So, you’re not that good as a wide receiver, but you’re a hell of a coach.”
The Coach of the Year vote, conducted by the Associated Press, reflected the respect Vrabel has earned. He received 19 first-place votes and 302 total points, outpacing Jaguars head coach Liam Coen (16 first-place votes, 239 points), Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald (8, 191), Bears’ Ben Johnson (1, 145), and 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan (6, 140). Vrabel is now the 14th coach to win the award twice and just the seventh to do so with two different teams.
The Patriots’ transformation under Vrabel has been swift and comprehensive. After parting ways with Mayo, New England’s ownership turned to a familiar face, hoping his championship pedigree would rub off on a roster in need of direction. Vrabel’s impact was immediate: the team found renewed energy, discipline, and belief. “With Vrabel at the helm and blossoming into a star, the Patriots expedited their rebuilding process. The team went 14-3 in the regular season, winning the AFC East title and sealing the No. 2 seed in the AFC,” reported one source. The Patriots’ postseason run only heightened the sense that Vrabel’s leadership had fundamentally altered the team’s trajectory.
He wasn’t the only member of the Patriots’ staff to be recognized. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was named Assistant Coach of the Year, highlighting the collaborative spirit that has defined New England’s resurgence. The NFL Honors ceremony, held just a stone’s throw from the site of this weekend’s Super Bowl, also celebrated the league’s best players and contributors, but the spotlight was firmly on Vrabel and his remarkable first season in Foxborough.
Vrabel’s journey back to New England has been a winding one. After his playing days ended, he quickly rose through the coaching ranks, earning respect for his tactical acumen and ability to connect with players. His earlier stint with the Titans was marked by steady success, including a previous Coach of the Year nod. But it’s this season—returning to the franchise where he forged his identity as a player—that has cemented his status as one of the NFL’s elite coaches.
As the Patriots prepare for their Super Bowl showdown with the Seahawks, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A win would not only set a new record for first-year coaching victories but would also etch Vrabel’s name in the annals of NFL history as the first to win a Super Bowl as both player and coach for the same team. The Patriots’ faithful, who endured back-to-back losing seasons, now find themselves dreaming of another championship, thanks in large part to Vrabel’s vision and leadership.
With the NFL world watching, Vrabel’s Patriots are poised to write another chapter in the franchise’s storied history. Whether or not they capture the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, one thing is certain: Mike Vrabel’s impact on New England has already been profound, and his second Coach of the Year award is a testament to a season that few will soon forget.