Patriots' Mike Vrabel Still Among Best After Super Bowl Loss

The New England Patriots are disappointed after a 29-13 loss against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium.

Despite the loss, the team had an incredible first year in the Mike Vrabel era. The year began with hiring him as the next head coach, hoping that he would be able to get the team better than the 4-13 record it had the year before. Vrabel did that, and then some.

Vrabel was able to get the Patriots to the Super Bowl because he brought back a taste of the culture the organization had when Bill Belichick was in charge for over two decades. Vrabel won three Super Bowls as a linebacker when he was coached by Belichick with the Patriots and it's a good sign that he was nearly able to get a fourth ring in his first year with the team.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel looks on during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Vrabel Should Be Praised Despite Super Bowl Loss

Many will look at the Patriots' season as a pleasant surprise. The team may have had a fourth-place schedule as a result of the year before and cake walked through the regular season, but Vrabel simply had his team prepared for whoever was on the other sideline.

The Patriots still had to beat three top-five defenses in the AFC playoffs in order to get to the Super Bowl. However, they were no match for the Seahawks' smothering defense, as the Patriots could not score in the first three quarters of the Super Bowl. The Seahawks defense gave opposing teams fits all year long, which is why they were the ones to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season.

Simply put, this wasn't a loss because the Patriots played poorly. The Seahawks won that game and took care of business.

Now the Patriots have to pick up the pieces and prepare for what should be a more challenging 2026 campaign. The Patriots have a target on their back now after winning the conference and going back to the Super Bowl for the first time in seven years. That being said, Vrabel and the Patriots welcome this status change and will be prepared for all of the changes that come with being one of the best teams in the league.

It all starts with free agency, which begins next month once the new league year begins. Then, the Pats shift their focus towards the NFL Draft in April.

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