With the New England Patriots’ 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship, the team will play in the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2018 NFL season.
Despite three straight losing seasons before this year, Mike Vrabel turned the team into a serious contender. New England has been earning praise, rightfully so, and the big win prompted a reaction from former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman.
Julian Edelman Shoots Praise Towards Patriots and Mike Vrabel
Edelman had his fair share of championship success with the Patriots, winning three Super Bowls and earning Super Bowl MVP honors once. It’s no surprise he was fired up to see New England back on the league’s biggest stage.
On his Instagram story, he posted, “F**king Amazing. Go get you one!”
He added more on X, posting the following:
“What a coaching job today. Survive and advance. See you in Santa Clara. #LFG.”
What a coaching job today. Survive and advance. See you in Santa Clara. #LFG
— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) January 25, 2026
If the NFL followed the rules of the Premier League, the Tennessee Titans might have been relegated for firing Vrabel. The Titans are one of, if not the worst, teams in the NFL, while the Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl with Vrabel at the helm.
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In his first season with New England, Vrabel coached the team to a 14-3 regular-season record, earning the second overall seed in the AFC playoff picture. Under Bill Belichick in 2022 and 2023, the Patriots posted records of 8-9 and 4-13. In 2024, Jerrod Mayo followed with another 4-13 campaign. Now, the franchise appears positioned to contend for years to come.
The Patriots were a threat offensively. In PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Metric, they ranked as the second-best offense in the league with an impact score of 86.6 and a letter grade of B. Much of that success was fueled by sophomore quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye was electric during the regular season and elevated his play to MVP-candidate status. In PFSN’s NFL Quarterback Impact Metric, he finished as the second-best quarterback in the league with an impact score of 91.1 and a letter grade of A-. The sophomore completed 72.0% of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He also added 450 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, the Patriots ranked as the 12th-best unit in the NFL, posting an impact score of 78.2 and a letter grade of C+, according to PFSN’s NFL Defense Impact Metric.
If not for the culture change led by Vrabel, the Patriots likely would not be in the position they are in now.
