Tom Brady knows better than most what a successful season in New England looks like. He lived it for two decades. But Brady also understands what came after his departure, a brief stretch where success was hard to come by. That’s why, now that Mike Vrabel has guided the New England Patriots back to the Super Bowl while earning AP Coach of the Year honors, Brady didn’t hesitate to show his appreciation for the head coach and his staff.

“Congratulations Mike! A great teammate, coach and friend! Hard earned and well deserved! Love you!!! LFGGGGG!!!” Brady shared on his Instagram story on Friday after Vrabel won the Coach of the Year honors.

Brady’s praise isn’t difficult to understand. He and Vrabel shared a locker room in New England for nearly a decade, a stretch that included the franchise’s first three Super Bowl titles. Fast forward to now, and while circumstances have changed, the trajectory is once again pointing up. Following Brady’s exit, the Patriots endured a brief downturn.

The team finished the 2024 season at 4–13 before owner Robert Kraft moved on from Jerod Mayo and turned to a familiar face in Vrabel. The decision paid off immediately. In his first year as head coach, Vrabel reshaped both the roster and coaching staff. And the results validated the approach.

With second-year quarterback Drake Maye under center, New England posted a 14–3 regular-season record. They’re now 3–0 in the postseason and have already secured a Super Bowl berth, where they’ll face the Seattle Seahawks. Along the way, Vrabel picked up Coach of the Year honors while keeping his focus squarely on winning his first Super Bowl as a head coach.

The HC beat out Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan, Jaguars’ Liam Coen, and Bears’ Ben Johnson for the award. It marked the second Coach of the Year honor of his career, following his 2021 win with Tennessee. Still, the Patriots’ resurgence goes beyond Vrabel simply being on the sidelines. It’s tied to his staff decisions as well.

One of Vrabel’s first moves was bringing back Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. While the offense has sputtered at times during the postseason, McDaniels’ unit thrived throughout the regular season. That success earned him Assistant Coach of the Year recognition, an achievement Brady was quick to celebrate.

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“Incredible accomplishment Josh! My brother! Nobody works harder or is more committed then you! I’m so proud of you love you so much!!” Brady captioned his IG story.

Under McDaniels, New England ranked second in the league in points scored with 490 total and 28.8 per game, and third in total offensive yards with 6,449 at 379.4 per game. Maye finished fourth in passing yards with 4,394, third in touchdown passes with 31, and led the league in QBR at 77.1, falling just one vote short of his first MVP award.

Now, with those honors in hand, Vrabel and McDaniels turn their attention to the biggest prize of all: the Super Bowl. And while Brady has openly praised the coaching staff for their NFL accolades, the former quarterback has also found himself facing backlash over his stance on the Super Bowl matchup.

Tom Brady’s former teammates called him out for his Super Bowl stance

A couple of years ago, Tom Brady publicly declared himself a “Patriot for life.” At the time, he wasn’t a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. He is now. And with the Patriots heading to the Super Bowl, Brady has made it clear he isn’t rooting for his former team. In fact, he isn’t rooting for the Seahawks either. He’s simply planning to watch and enjoy the game.

“I just want to see good football,” Brady said ahead of the matchup. “I want to see good plays, good throws, good strategy, good decisions.”

That stance didn’t sit well with everyone, and the backlash was immediate. One of the louder voices came from Brady’s former teammate Vince Wilfork, who won multiple Super Bowls alongside him in New England. Wilfork criticized Brady for refusing to pick a side, calling the neutral approach a “political” move.

“That’s bullcrap, Tom,” Wilfork said during an interview with Boston radio station WEEI. “All that political — this ain’t political. It ain’t political, what it is. Raiders ain’t in it. Say what it is, what you see…At the end of the day, if you’re a Patriot for life, you know what it is. Don’t give me that political bullcrap. That just what it is. If you don’t think we’re gonna win, just pick Seattle then. Don’t straddle the fence.”

During his Patriots tenure, Brady guided the franchise to six Super Bowl wins and nine AFC championships. But as his comments made the rounds, Wilfork wasn’t the only former Patriot to speak up. Rob Gronkowski, Brady’s longtime teammate and close friend, also weighed in. And he didn’t sugarcoat it.

“He probably wants to be the quarterback,” Gronk said during his appearance on Up & Adams Show. “He’s that competitive. He probably wants to be the guy in the Super Bowl right now.”

Viewed from the outside, Brady’s neutrality has sparked criticism from former teammates who see it as political or as a reflection of his relentless competitiveness. Even so, one thing remains clear: Brady has been vocal in praising New England’s coaches for their success, and regardless of the outcome, he’s ready to sit back and enjoy the game.