Can McDaniels and Vrabel lead the Patriots back to the playoffs in 2025?

A new era has begun for the New England Patriots in 2025, but with some old faces returning to lead the rebuild.

Not only did the Patriots hire Mike Vrabel, a Super Bowl-winning offensive lineman with the organization, but they are also bringing back former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. He returns for a third spell in the same role after a failed stint as Las Vegas Raiders head coach.

The Patriots have spent big in the offseason, signing wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a $63.5 million deal and defensive tackle Milton Williams for a four-year $104 million contract. Even with the further additions of Harold Landry ($43.5 million) and Carlton Davis (54 million) to name a few, they still have biggest salary cap in the NFL ($67,649,279). Along with the fourth overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft and an exciting young quarterback in Drake Maye, this is an appealing prospect for Vrabel and McDaniels.

The Patriots should be seen as a playoff contender in 2025.

Fans give their thoughts on the McDaniels appointment

After 14 months out of the game, McDaniels is back in Foxboro, and NFL fans shared their thoughts on the appointment.

One fan tweeted, “Good Hire, he is a favourite to get the OC role to begin with, plus he did develop a rookie Mac Jones and got us to the playoffs, now going to develop a 22-year-old Drake Maye, best situation for the Pats.”

There was certainly optimism from one fan, who said “DRAKE MAYE GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL.”, whilst another tweeted, “We might just be back.”

Another hopeful fan tweeted their excitement, “This is a big deal for Drake Maye.”

“It’s a familiar face and it seems like the right choice but I don’t know if it will be the same results.”

“They keep bringing in familiar faces as if it’s going to replicate the success they had. Except they’re missing the most important face.”

In response to the naysayers, one fan tweeted “Do NE fans forget what he did with Mac Jones? 6th best scoring offense in the NFL… he’s a horrible HC but he might be one of the best OCs to ever touch foot on a gridiron, Women lie, Men Lie but stats don’t.”

McDaniels trying to be successful at Patriots without Bill Belichick

Whilst his time as head coach with the Raiders and Denver Broncos did not work out, you cannot rule out his success as a coordinator, with multiple Super Bowls won. However, the last two negative tweets from fans above do raise valid questions.

Firstly, this will be McDaniels’ first time as Offensive Coordinator without Bill Belichick. We all saw how he fared without him in Denver and Las Vegas. Whilst he did well without Tom Brady when Mac Jones was the starting quarterback, Belichick was still there.

Belichick has some questions over his time without Brady, but there is a reason none of his disciples have done exceptionally well as head coach when they have left New England.

Vrabel’s time in Tennessee

Vrabel was hired as the Tennessee Titans head coach in 2018, and in just his second season in charge, he guided them to the AFC Championship game. This included a shock win over the number one seed Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round. He also oversaw Ryan Tannehill’s resurgence, the former Dolphins quarterback winning Comeback Player of the Year.

Two seasons later and the Titans earned the number one seed in the AFC. Whilst they may have been 0-1 in the postseason, this was another winning season for Vrabel, his fourth in as many years with the team.

His final two years did not go to plan, but Vrabel was also not responsible for the front office trading away wide receiver A.J. Brown. He openly told Brown that he was not for sale, and the decision to ship him to the Philadelphia Eagles is said to have soured the relationship between him and the front office.

The final two years at the Titans should not deter Patriots fans away from his appointment. He has proved time and time again that he can make it work with a mediocre team disguised by a couple of stars.

If he can win seven games with Josh Dobbs and Malik Willis as the quarterback room, and a wide receiver room including Treylon Burks, Robert Woods and Nick Westbook-Ikhine, then he can get the Patriots nine or ten.

Andy Davies