Under Mike Vrabel, the New England Patriots broke through in Miami, securing a 33-27 victory over the Dolphins and giving their head coach his first win with the franchise.
Vrabel, a former Patriots player, spent seven seasons with the team, helping them capture three Super Bowl titles. Known for his versatility, leadership, and ability to contribute on special teams and even offensively, Vrabel left a lasting mark as a player before transitioning into coaching.
After retiring, he began his coaching career at his alma mater, Ohio State University, serving as the linebackers coach. In 2014, he landed his first NFL position with the Houston Texans as their linebackers coach. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Houston’s defensive coordinator in 2017. The following year, Vrabel interviewed for the Tennessee Titans head coaching position and was soon announced as the team’s new head coach.
Following a surprising firing, Vrabel spent the 2024 season as an advisor with the Cleveland Browns organization. The full-circle moment came in 2025 when the Patriots hired him as their head coach.
After the win, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye revealed he kept the game ball and gave it to Vrabel as a symbolic gesture.
“I took that football, the one I kneaded there, and gave it right to Stick, our equipment guy, and let coach get that ball,” Maye said via Patspulpit.com. “That means a lot, and I think it meant a lot to him. It took everybody, but obviously he’s leading the charge, and that meant something special.”
Vrabel acknowledged that the team still has work to do, pointing out that pre-snap infractions and mental errors were frequent throughout the game.
“I appreciate the character, certainly don’t have to put it to the test all the time with mistakes and silly penalties,” Vrabel said. “We have to learn how to compete and believe that we can come down here and win football games, and I believe we did.”
When asked what he learned from the team’s narrow win in Miami, Vrabel emphasized resilience.
“That we’re not frontrunners, and that’s a big thing in this league,” he said via Boston.com. “When you play in the NFL, you have to be willing to take some punches, and that’s OK, but you have to give more than you take, because that’s the nature of this business.”
Sunday’s victory marked the Patriots’ first win at Hard Rock Stadium since 2019 and their first win over Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 19-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Ben.BelfordPeltzman@gmail.com with any inquires.
