The “Patriot Way” was a phrase we heard a lot during New England’s dynasty, with the team winning six Super Bowls over a span of two decades. The exit of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady changed the identity of the team, but at least one player is expecting those old ways to come back with the addition of their new head coach.
Former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel is replacing former New England linebacker Jerod Mayo as head coach of the team. In his one year in the role, Mayo went 4-13 and the struggles were not just during games. Mayo was often under fire for his comments and the way he ran the team and the combination of it all led to owner Robert Kraft deciding to move on.
Vrabel was the front-runner for the job this offseason, with fans excited to have a Patriots Hall of Famer and a more experienced coach at the helm. The 49-year-old was a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns in 2024, after spending 2018 to 2023 as head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
It’s not just fans who are looking forward to a change as Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez envisions a positive adjustment pending.
“I know he’s a Patriot, in the Patriot Hall of Fame. They talk good about him,” Gonzalez said of Vrabel on PFT Live with Mike Florio and Chris Simms. “I’ve heard it’s going back to what they call the ‘Patriot Way.’ For sure, I’m ready.”
The “Patriot Way” was a style of playing that included a team-first, preparation heavy way of thinking, with as little off-field drama as possible and accountability from all.
The first-rounder played his rookie year under Belichick, appearing in four games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. With Mayo’s departure, he’ll now be playing for a third coach in three seasons. Comparing how the team was the last two seasons, he said he did notice the locker room was more relaxed, not necessarily in a good way.
“I would say the building got a little more lax. I mean, that might have hurt us,” Gonzalez said. “I would probably say it got a little more lax.”
Gonzalez did enjoy being able to play a full season, earning Second Team All-Pro honors, but going 4-13 two years in a row is obviously not ideal.
“It was tough [this season], but honestly I was looking more of it as just going out there and having fun,” Gonzalez said. “I got hurt my rookie year, and just playing the whole year was great for me and having fun. Obviously, you want to win. That’s the main goal. But we were in a lot of close games. I think we had seven one-score games. So, we’re not far off.”
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Author: Shanna McCarriston
February 5, 2025 | 3:51 pm