Mike Vrabel named AP Coach of the Year
The Patriots head coach has won the award for the second time in his career.
Feb 5, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talks to media members at the Santa Clara Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was named the 2025 AP NFL Coach of the Year at the 15th annual NFL Honors on Thursday night in San Francisco.
This is the second time Vrabel has won the award, the first coming in 2021 when he was with Tennessee. Vrabel was fired from the Titans in 2023 and then spent a year in Cleveland as an advisor before returning to New England as the head coach last January.
“The biggest thing that I learned is that I wanted nothing more than to be a head coach again, and just understand how important the connections are with the players and not losing sight of that,” Vrabel said. “So, I kind of got back to the basics of just what this game's about and making connections and it's about the people and getting the players to find ways to improve and to develop them and give them confidence.”
Vrabel, in his first year as the head coach of the Patriots becomes the third coach in franchise history to win the award, following Bill Parcells (1994) and Bill Belichick (2003, 2007, 2010).
The Akron, Ohio native has been instrumental in turning around the Patriots organization following back-to-back 4-13 seasons. Vrabel led the Patriots to a 13-4 regular season record in 2025, and has brought New England back to its first Super Bowl appearance since 2018.
The head coach’s impact was immediate after signing with New England last January, bringing in integral staff members like Josh McDaniels, Terrell Williams, Zak Kuhr, Ashton Grant and John "Stretch" Streicher to help coach his new-look Patriots.
From there he assembled an impressive free agent class that has helped bring New England to the brink of its seventh Super Bowl. Among those key additions include Milton Williams, Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, Carlton Davis, Robert Spillane and Morgan Moses.
Vrabel also put together a 2025 draft class that has made an impact on the team, with Will Campbell, Jared Wilson, TreVeyon Henderson, Craig Woodson and Andres Borregales all being key figures in the Patriots run to the Super Bowl.
The former Patriots linebacker (2001-08) carried over his defensive identity to this New England team, as the defense was fourth in total points allowed per game (18.8). It has only gotten better throughout the postseason. Vrabel’s defense is currently giving up just 8.7 points per game in the playoffs, and it has also recorded 12 sacks in three games.
Vrabel will have another opportunity to add a piece of hardware to his trophy case on Sunday as the Patriots face off against the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. Vrabel won three Lombardi trophies as a player with New England in the early 2000s, famously catching touchdown passes from Tom Brady in two straight.
