New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel received the best confidence-booster ahead of their much-awaited clash with the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX after he was named Coach of the Year in the NFL Honors on Thursday.
Many expected Vrabel to win the award after leading the Patriots to the championship round in his maiden stint with the squad.
It's the second time he has been named Coach of the Year. He first won the trophy in 2021 during his time with the Tennessee Titans.
Mike Vrabel is the AP Coach of the Year and in #SBLX in his first season as the @Patriots head coach 👏 #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/ZcnaDd2WKx
— NFL (@NFL) February 6, 2026
The Patriots tallied a 14-3 record, their best finish since winning it all in 2016. Now, under Vrabel's guidance, they have a good chance of capturing their seventh Super Bowl crown.
From the onset, the 50-year-old Vrabel installed a different vibe in New England. The team had been struggling to find an identity since the exits of iconic quarterback Tom Brady and legendary coach Bill Belichick.
The Patriots had missed the playoffs for three straight seasons before Vrabel put an end to the drought.
With Vrabel's all-business tutelage, sophomore quarterback Drake Maye rose to become one of the NFL's elite, while also transforming the Patriots into a defensive machine. After all, Vrabel knows the recipe for success, having won three Super Bowl titles as a player.
Vrabel beat Mike Macdonald of the Seahawks, Liam Coen of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears, and Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers for the award.
The Patriots will battle the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on Sunday at Levi's Stadium.
