Coach Mike Vrabel detailed a plan for building a new culture with the New England Patriots.
The first part of that is acknowledging that culture isn’t all about what the team looks like when it’s winning. It’s about seeing how they respond when they get punched in the mouth. How do they react when the chips are down?
Do they push back even harder or fold?
“When you get hit in the mouth or you’re down or the chips are against you, then you can take a snapshot of what your company or your team looks like and you’ll find out what kind of culture you have,” Vrabel said at his introductory press conference. “…That culture is going to be built on winning, a competitive spirit throughout our roster and throughout our players, throughout our coaches and our staff—and the ability to put the team first and care about somebody other than yourself.”
Helping to establish a new identity for the Patriots will go a long way in turning the franchise around. The team hasn’t won a playoff game since Tom Brady was under center at quarterback.
They’ve had losing seasons over the last three years, including back-to-back seasons with a 4-13 record.
All eyes will be on Vrabel throughout the offseason. The Patriots have a chance to build around a talented young quarterback in Drake Maye and potentially get back to their winning ways.
