Mike Vrabel: Focus on what will go right this year, not what went wrong last year

Much was made of Mike Vrabel's past when he was hired as the head coach of the Patriots in January, but he's not looking backward as he moves toward his first season on the sideline in New England.

Vrabel played for the Patriots and won Super Bowls during his time with the team, so it was natural to see his hiring as an attempt to recapture the success that eluded the franchise in Bill Belichick's final years and during Jerod Mayo's 4-13 campaign in 2024. Vrabel does not believe that the path back to winning should include spending much time trying to figure out why the team fell so far down the standings.

In a meeting with players shared as part of a team-produced video series, Vrabel said that the team is "building our identity" this year and that process will be centered on doing things right in the present rather than rehashing anything from the past.

“Somebody asked me ‘Are you worried what went wrong last year?’ Why the f—k would I care about what happened last year? I’m worried about what’s going to go right today and tomorrow and the next day," Vrabel said. "We’re not worried about what went wrong. We’re focused on what’s going to go right and I want you to understand that.”

The Patriots signed a slew of free agents before adding the likes of tackle Will Campbell, running back TreVeyon Henderson, and wide receiver Kyle Williams in the early rounds of the draft. Those new faces along with Vrabel's new coaching staff make it easier to avoid looking back as part of setting the stage for a brighter future.