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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is emerging as a strong candidate for the NFL‘s Coach of the Year award four years after earning the honor with the Tennessee Titans. He made the most of the opportunity to strengthen his case Thursday night when the Patriots hosted the New York Jets.
The victory made Vrabel only the sixth coach since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to win eight or more consecutive games in his first season with a franchise. His work has drawn praise from across the league. Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy recently acknowledged Vrabel’s impact during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, highlighting the consistency behind New England’s transformation.
“Mike Vrabel is an excellent football coach. He’s consistent in the play style that he demands from his team,” McCarthy said of Vrabel.
“Mike Vrabel is an excellent football coach..
He’s consistent in the play style that he demands from his team” ~ Coach McCarthy #PMSLive https://t.co/dUyZYvJN2R pic.twitter.com/TEla16HiBW
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 13, 2025
Vrabel has orchestrated the turnaround largely with the same roster that struggled through the previous two seasons. The Patriots combined for just eight wins across the 2023 and 2024 campaigns before matching that total through their first 10 games this year.
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye has played a central role in the 9-2 start that has generated renewed optimism around the franchise. New England entered Week 11 as an 11.5-point favorite against the Jets.
The Patriots are on pace for their most successful season since the departures of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick reshaped the organization. One additional victory later in the schedule would give the team its first 10-win season since 2021 and only its second since 2019. The improvement McCarthy referenced continues to support Vrabel’s candidacy for Coach of the Year.
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