Updated Feb. 2, 2026, 2:58 p.m. ET

The New England Patriots‘ magical turnaround season needed a lot to go right for them to be the AFC representative in Super Bowl LX. They came into the season with expectations of a rebuild, and instead, they somehow turned it into one of the most improbable Super Bowl runs in NFL history.

No, this isn’t the 2025 version of a 2024 Washington Commanders team that saw its Super Bowl hopes go up in smoke in a conference championship game last year. What the Patriots have accomplished this season surpasses the Commanders’ run.

Win or lose, New England’s success in such a short amount of time is something that will be studied for years to come.

They went from back-to-back seasons with a 4-13 record to winning the AFC East division and capturing the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a 14-3 record. After being criticized for a soft schedule, they then responded by knocking off three straight top-five defensive teams in the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos in the postseason en route to a Super Bowl run.

Here are nine key moves made by the Patriots that helped them get to the Super Bowl:

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.1. Hiring Mike Vrabel as head coach

The decision to hire Mike Vrabel as the head coach is one of the greatest decisions the Patriots have ever made as an organization. Make no mistake, it wasn’t easy for owner Robert Kraft to fire Jerod Mayo after one season with the team. It was completely unfair considering the poor team that Mayo inherited in the last years of the Bill Belichick era.

But it was clearly the right decision to make for a 4-13 team that seemed doomed to failure. Vrabel was a former Coach of the Year capable of making an immediate impact on the franchise. The fact that the team finished the season 14-3, won the AFC East division and is already competing for a Super Bowl is proof of Vrabel’s greatness.

2. Signing Milton Williams to historic deal

It should be obvious at this point why defensive tackle Milton Williams was one of the hottest free agents on the market last year. He’s an interior game-wrecker along the defensive front capable of dominating against the run and pressuring opposing quarterbacks.

Vrabel liked him enough to make him the highest-paid player in Patriots’ franchise history under a four-year, $104 million deal. Williams has since emerged as one of the Patriots’ key defensive players and formulated one of the best defensive tackle duos in the NFL, alongside Christian Barmore.

3. Signing Stefon Diggs

Does anyone remember how disappointed people were initially when the Patriots came away with Stefon Diggs in free agency? He was a 31-year-old receiver coming off a torn ACL injury and likely past his prime. The team wanted to sign Chris Godwin, but he opted to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That ended up being a stroke of luck for New England considering Godwin only appeared in nine games and struggled to bounce back from the ankle injury he suffered in 2024.

Meanwhile, Diggs emerged as a legitimate locker room leader for the Patriots and became the first Patriots receiver since Julian Edelman to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Diggs racked up 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in his first year in New England.

4. Hiring Doug Marrone as OL coach

One of the most overlooked hirings that the Patriots made in the offseason was bringing in former head coach Doug Marrone as the offensive line coach. Fixing the offensive line was at the top of the Patriots’ to-do list, and they brought in an experienced coach who specialized in that position. In only one season, Marrone has helped stabilize one of the worst offensive lines in football.

5. Drafting Will Campbell at No. 4

The Patriots’ decision to use the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft on offensive tackle Will Campbell was a major domino that needed to fall to get the team back on track. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye desperately needed legitimate blindside protection, and Campbell seemed like the right prospect to stick at left tackle.

The former LSU standout had a strong rookie season before going down late in the year with an MCL injury. He struggled in the first two playoff games when facing Los Angeles Chargers’ edge rusher Khalil Mack and Houston Texans’ defensive end Will Anderson. However, he had a strong showing in the AFC Championship Game against Denver Broncos’ edge rusher Nik Bonitto.

6. Getting the right veteran OL

Along with hiring a great offensive line coach and drafting Will Campbell, the Patriots also signed veteran center Garrett Bradbury and right tackle Morgan Moses in free agency. Those were two strong signings that added much-needed experience along the offensive front in New England.

Both Bradbury and Moses have been solid, dependable pieces for the team all season. Not only have they contributed on the field, but they have also served as mentors to the younger players on the roster.

7. Bringing back Josh McDaniels

Where would the Patriots be without the quarterback whisperer, Josh McDaniels? Bringing him back to work with Drake Maye was one of the biggest moves made by any team in the offseason. He has managed to unlock parts of Maye’s game that didn’t seem possible this early in his career. In only one year, Maye has gone from a promising rookie to a legitimate MVP candidate quarterback competing in the Super Bowl. McDaniels is a major reason why that transformation happened so quickly.

8. Massive shakeup in the secondary

Mike Vrabel’s willingness to shake things up is a big reason why the Patriots have been successful this season. He moved on from safeties Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers for rookie Craig Woodson and veteran Jaylinn Hawkins. Longtime Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones was allowed to walk out the door to the Washington Commanders, and the team made the move to sign Carlton Davis III in free agency to play opposite Christian Gonzalez. Those moves enabled the team to create one of the best defensive backfields in football.

9. Adding the right fits on defensive front

The Patriots also took risks along the defensive front. They failed to make any major splash signings at edge rusher. Instead, they chose to put their faith in veteran Harold Landry III and perceived first-round draft bust K’Lavon Chaisson. It didn’t take long for the team to see they were on the right track after Chaisson beat out former Patriots edge rusher Keion White for a starting job.

The additions of defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga and linebacker Robert Spillane have also been huge for the Patriots this season. It’s a team full of unknowns who have consistently played well together.

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