\u201cHe was like a lightning bolt,\u201d quarterback Drake Maye said. \u201cHe saw the crease and he was gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
The play was the first real indicator that the 2025 rookie class was a special group. Each of the 11 players drafted ended up playing in at least three regular-season games, while several\u2009\u2014 including Will Campbell<\/a> and Craig Woodson<\/a>\u2009\u2014\u2009would emerge as starters.<\/p>\n On August 10, local media members and their families were sitting down to a complimentary barbecue inside Gillette Stadium, a small token of appreciation from the team as the grind of the regular season\u2009drew closer. Mothers, fathers, partners, and children were all enjoying the afternoon.<\/p>\n Roughly halfway through, Vrabel appeared at the door and started shaking hands, speaking with reporters and their families. He asked children how long it was before school started, and if they were going to be playing football that fall. He joked and smiled as he conversed with parents and partners. <\/p>\n Yes, there would still be awkward silences during press conferences, and reporters would have tough questions to ask. But in that moment, the small gesture by the new coach spoke volumes about the new era dawning in Foxborough. <\/p>\n Miami had taken a 27-22 lead midway through the fourth quarter on the sweltering afternoon<\/a> of September 14. Despite a solid start for New England, the game looked to be headed the same direction as so many recent Pats-Dolphins games in South Florida over the last decade\u2009\u2014\u2009with Miami finding a way to win\u2009\u2014\u2009meaning an 0-2 start to the Vrabel era.<\/p>\n But Antonio Gibson received the ensuing kickoff, found a seam, and sped down the sideline. By the time he hit midfield, there was his head coach on the sideline\u2009\u2014\u2009sprinting next to him.<\/p>\n Vrabel gamely tried to keep up with Gibson for roughly 10 yards, but the running back soon pulled away. The mad dash<\/a> would go viral and further endear Vrabel to his players, and provide the enduring image for his first win as the head coach. <\/p>\n \u201cIf he was keeping up with me, I have to run faster,\u201d Gibson joked. \u201cI heard he almost caught me.\u201d<\/p>\n Defensive coordinator Terrell Williams<\/a> had been away from the team for stretches since the spring, and on September 26, we learned more about the medical issue keeping him out. During his Friday press conference, Vrabel announced that Williams had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know how much Terrell means to me personally and to the people of this football team,\u201d said Vrabel, who has developed a deep relationship with Williams since their time together on the Tennessee Titans, when Williams was a member of Vrabel\u2019s coaching staff. <\/p>\n Zak Kuhr, the inside linebacker coach, has stepped in as the interim defensive play caller, but Williams has remained a regular visitor at Gillette. And the team has rallied around him, donning \u201cT Strong\u201d shirts during warm-ups after the announcement. Vrabel has honored the coach with a \u201cT Strong\u201d message on his game-day vest throughout the season.<\/p>\n \u201cMy prayers go out to [Williams] for real, because he\u2019s a good coach, and he believed in all of us,\u201d said safety Jaylinn Hawkins<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s got his kids. That\u2019s something that nobody should go through.\u201d<\/p>\n Drake Maye warms up before a showdown against the Buffalo Bills. Maye breaks a tackle by Bills defensive end Joey Bosa. (Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff)\n <\/p>\n There were just over two minutes remaining. The Bills had erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to tie the October 5 game at 20. The Buffalo faithful were yowling into the Western New York night, practically shaking the foundation of Highmark Stadium.<\/p>\n That\u2019s when Drake Maye stepped into the huddle<\/a> with the Patriots at their own 30 yard line, and started the drive of his professional career. The series was highlighted by a 12-yard completion to wide receiver Stefon Diggs<\/a>\u2009\u2014\u2009delivered as the quarterback was being hauled to the ground.<\/p>\n He turned \u201can 8-yard loss to a 12-yard gain,\u201d marveled Vrabel. <\/p>\n Andy Borregales drilled the game-winning field goal from 19 yards to provide the difference in the 23-20 win. Maye, almost perfect in the second half, finished 22-for-30 for 273 yards, and outdueled Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, the reigning MVP.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo-minute drive to win it,\u201d Maye said afterward. \u201cThat\u2019s what you want.\u201d<\/p>\n The preseason touchdown wasn\u2019t TreVeyon Henderson\u2019s only memorable run. During the final moments of a steamy November 9 game in Tampa Bay, the Patriots were clinging to a 21-16 lead, looking to run out the clock. <\/p>\n Taking a pitch from Maye, Henderson broke loose<\/a> and headed down the sideline. But there was a moment of confusion: Should he score? Or sit down before the end zone, killing more clock and effectively ending the game?<\/p>\n He turned to the sideline for a sign. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen some people saying, \u2018Go down,\u2019 some people saying to score. It was mixed,\u201d the rookie said sheepishly. \u201cI was trying to find one of the coaches, but it was just happening so fast.\u201d<\/p>\n Henderson opted for the end zone en route to a 28-23 win. The moment of indecision turned into an internet meme, and another reminder of the transformative impact that the rookie class would have on the 2025 roster.<\/p>\n Patriots players rallied around Jahlani Tavai and his family after his partner, Kalei Mau, shared tragic news on social media. Hunter Henry runs to the end zone for a second quarter touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals in November. (Dylan Buell\/Getty Images)\n <\/p>\n 7. \u2018That\u2019s for you, Lani\u2019<\/p>\n Linebacker Jahlani Tavai wasn\u2019t with the team in the days before the November 23 game in Cincinnati. Vrabel told reporters he was out for personal reasons. <\/p>\n During the game, tight end Hunter Henry scored a touchdown. When the cameras found him, he hollered, \u201cThat\u2019s for you, Lani.\u201d After the 26-20 win, teammates talked about FaceTiming Tavai, and wanting to win on his behalf.<\/p>\n A couple of weeks later, the reasons behind his absence were revealed: Tavai\u2019s partner, Kalei Mau,<\/a> shared on social media that she had experienced a stillbirth at six months pregnant while in a medically induced coma due to what she described as a rare blood infection. The team closed ranks around Tavai and his family; the tragedy helped cement an already tight bond in the locker room.<\/p>\n \u201cMy thoughts are with Jahlani and what he\u2019s going through. I love Jahlani,\u201d Maye said after the win in Cincinnati. \u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s cool about this game; it\u2019s such a team sport. Guys rally around each other and play for one another.\u201d<\/p>\n Mike Vrabel reacts to a call during a loss to the Bills, which would serve as a wake-up call for the Patriots. Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White intercepts a pass from the Patriots\u2019 Drake Maye. (Barry Chin\/Globe Staff)\n <\/p>\n The matchup on December 14 was supposed to mark a changing of the guard in the AFC East. A hard-charging New England team, which had won 10 straight games, was ready to assume the throne from the Bills, who had won the division for five straight years. <\/p>\n But Bills\u2019 quarterback Josh Allen didn\u2019t allow that to happen\u2009\u2014 not on that day, at least\u2009\u2014\u2009orchestrating a comeback<\/a> from a 17-point halftime deficit on the way to a 35-31 win. <\/p>\n A group of Buffalo players taunted New England fans on their way off the field, waving goodbye as they danced down the tunnel on the way to the locker room.<\/p>\n The loss stung for New England, but served as a teachable moment. While they were doing a lot of things right, they still needed to find another gear if they were going to be able to compete with the elites in the AFC.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is definitely a reality check,\u201d Henry said after the loss. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get a lot better, fast.\u201d<\/p>\n The Patriots would not drop another game on their way to the Super Bowl. <\/p>\n Mack Hollins was back. <\/p>\n The veteran receiver, who had been out for four weeks with an abdomen injury, walked into Denver\u2019s Empower Field at Mile High for the AFC Championship Game on January 25 ready to roll, wearing a leather vest and clinking beer bottles<\/a> together. \u201cWarriors, come out to play!\u201d he chirped, using the line as a nod to the iconic 1979 film The Warriors. <\/p>\n An example of Hollins\u2019s occasional flair for the dramatic, it showed the Patriots were bent on earning their \u201croad warriors\u201d moniker after going undefeated away from home over the course of the season.<\/p>\n It was also a reminder that while the team boasts marquee talent, it also has complementary pieces\u2009\u2014\u2009glue guys such as Hollins\u2009\u2014\u2009who execute their roles at a high level. In the end, the receiver had a pair of catches during a snowy nail-biter in Denver, but it was his infectious energy that made the difference, helping power the Patriots to Super Bowl LX.<\/p>\n Under Bill Belichick, the Patriots specialized in Super Bowls and inspirational phrases: Do Your Job. No Days Off. Ignore The Noise. We\u2019re On To Cincinnati.<\/p>\n Vrabel, who played for eight seasons under Belichick in New England, has similar philosophies as his former coach. But his team has developed some catchphrases of its own. <\/p>\n \u201cNo naps\u201d is a Vrabel favorite, a way of reminding players not to get complacent. \u201cDon\u2019t switch the macaroni and cheese\u201d<\/a> caught on in the locker room as a way of encouraging players not to change their approach and to stay consistent from week-to-week.<\/p>\n One rallying cry gained steam in the days after the November trade deadline when New England decided to stand pat and not make a move: \u201cWe All We Got. We All We Need.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n In a pregame speech before the win in Buffalo, Diggs\u2009\u2014\u2009the first one to use the phrase, according to teammates\u2009\u2014\u2009was caught on camera offering a slightly more profane version. It gained momentum, an acknowledgement of the trust generated in the locker room. Players have sported custom hoodies with the slogan, and fans feature it on signs at games.<\/p>\n There have been other milestones, of course, including Maye\u2019s key block<\/a> on a 65-yard touchdown run by Henderson during the loss to the Bills, and two Marcus Jones<\/a> punt returns for scores. Ultimately, all these moments, together, show a team evolving beyond what many expected. <\/p>\n \u201cContinue to believe in your brother. Have faith in your brother. And support one another,\u201d said linebacker K\u2019Lavon Chaisson<\/a> of the \u201cAll We Got\u201d mantra. \u201cThis bond, this chemistry can take us much further than we can expect.\u201d<\/p>\n Now the world is about to find out just how far they\u2019ll go. <\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/6NIAC6P3FTW3ABIV6QZR3ZEQM4.jpg\")
New England Patriots TreVeyon Henderson (32) carries the ball for a run back touchdown during the first half an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. Greg M. Cooper\/Associated Press<\/p>\n![\"Antonio](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CO6NNZHQONEE3AWIYMWIPKVJ5Q.jpg\")
Antonio Gibson scores on a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 7.06 to go in the fourth quarter. The touchdown put the Patriots ahead 30-27.New England Patriots\/David Silverman<\/p>\n![\"Defensive](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SCGTJQ66NKOL22AWKNUOXVWCRM.jpg\")
Defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, shown in 2023 when he was on the Tennessee Titans’ coaching staff, was diagnosed with prostate cancer and took time off for treatment.Wade Payne\/Associated Press<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/MBPCBTLJETFYNNW6LPY6GNACP4.JPG\"\/)
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\n (Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff)\n <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SA5T463NCR5AEV35LAY6HWGFVE.JPG\"\/)
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New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) runs for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of the November 9 game in Tampa, Florida. Jason Behnken\/Associated Press<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4J2EGD4DQH547DPFML24XRNPME.jpg\"\/)
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\n (Greg M. Cooper\/Associated Press)\n <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/T5TDRLQ6DVCRJEIDT3Y64GMKS4.jpg\"\/)
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\n (Danielle Parhizkaran\/Globe Staff)\n <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/N6XB4QX6ESYM5EXI3ATB2SNNFA.jpg\"\/)
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Mack Hollins, seen warming up before the AFC Championship Game in his usual barefoot style, provided a spark in the Patriots\u2019 big win in Denver.Barry Chin\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n![\"Fans](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/FTKYUUPEFCGRULWMQ23N26RSDI.JPG\")
Fans have embraced the Patriots’ rallying cry: \u201cWe All We Got. We All We Need.\u201dBarry Chin\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n