The New England Patriots are back.
After three straight years of losing records and missing the playoffs, the Patriots are back to being one of the best teams in the NFL. They’re tied for the league’s top record at 13-3 and just clinched their first AFC East title since 2019.
Led by new head coach Mike Vrabel and second-year quarterback Drake Maye, New England has completely turned things around after back-to-back 4-13 seasons. Maye is only 23 years old, but the Patriots look like legit Super Bowl contenders and could be on the brink of another dynasty.
On Monday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” McAfee explained why New England isn’t just back, but more likable than the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick Patriots.
“The not-so-evil empire is back,” McAfee declared. “We like Vrabel…Drake Maye…seems like the entire team loves him. Seems like the locker room is together. Vrabel has it right. And it’s hard to hate this team. I’m gonna be honest, it’s hard to hate the New England Patriots.”
Story continues below advertisement
For the first time in a while, New England is the plucky underdog. The Patriots were considered a fringe playoff team coming into the season, so they’ve smashed expectations.
Unlike Belichick, Vrabel is liked by players, fans and media alike. Maye has also quickly become a fan favorite, excelling on the field while saying and doing all the right things off it.
Story continues below advertisement
New England is young, loose, exciting and likable, unlike the corporate, ruthless image the team had under Belichick. The Patriots look like they’re having fun and seem to have great chemistry, making them easy to root for. They’re a nice story and haven’t had much drama or unlikable players this season.
Of course, that will change if they win a couple of Super Bowls. But for now, it’s hard to hate them.
Featured image via James Lang/Imagn Images
