Soaring Patriots Join Exclusive Company With Historic Turnaround
New England is just the second NFL team to accomplish this
Last year, the New England Patriots were one of the worst teams in the NFL, stumbling to a 4-13 record for the second straight season. This year, they’ve been one of the best, tying for the NFL’s best record heading into the final week of the regular season at 13-3.
The Patriots are just the second team in NFL history to go from 13 losses to 13 wins in consecutive seasons, joining the 1998 and 1999 Indianapolis Colts.
Both teams’ turnarounds were led by great young quarterbacks. New England has Drake Maye, who’s already an MVP candidate in his second season. The Colts had Peyton Manning, who launched a Hall of Fame career as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
While Maye’s ascendance has fueled the Patriots’ rise, he’s not the only reason for their historic turnaround. New England also nailed its coaching hire, replacing Jerod Mayo with former NFL Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel.
A three-time Super Bowl champ with the Patriots under Bill Belichick, Vrabel has gotten his old team back on track by transforming the culture and getting the most out of his roster.
New England made other key offseason additions besides Vrabel, drafting star rookies Will Campbell and TreVeyon Henderson along with signing Stefon Diggs, giving Maye a much better supporting cast on offense.
The Patriots also benefited from a historically easy schedule. However, they still deserve credit for taking advantage of it, going undefeated on the road and taking care of business on a weekly basis.
New England has already clinched its first AFC East title in six years, but is still vying for the No. 1 seed in the conference with the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars. If the Patriots succeed, that will cap off one of the most remarkable turnarounds the league has ever seen.
