Under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick New England were ruthless winners. But new head coach Mike Vrabel has transformed the narrative around the team
There used to be a simple rule: Anybody but the New England Patriots.
From 2001 through 2019, the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick dynasty totaled six Super Bowl titles, 13 conference championship appearances and 17 divisional crowns. They were the Evil Empire, constant contenders in a league designed for parity. It didn’t matter who you were; the Patriots were the final boss.
The early years of the Patriots’ dynasty had a different feel. They were the Patriots, a dash of Americana, playing in red, white and blue, who won their first title as scrappy underdogs, lifting the Lombardi after a national tragedy. They had the head coaching guru in the hoodie and discovered the All-American quarterback in the sixth round of the draft. It’s hard to remember now, but there was a time when Brady, Belichick and the Patriots were underdogs. They were, whisper it, even admired and beloved.
But winning has a way of hardening opinions. And the Patriots committed the cardinal sports sin: they won too much. And they won differently. They were better, smarter, colder. And when other teams attempted to import the wisdom, it ended in disaster. Fans of other teams were sick of their success. Opponents, too.
