Just five years removed from Tom Brady’s departure and the end of the Belichick era, the New England Patriots are doing something few expected-they’re back in the AFC East title conversation. And they didn’t get there by luck. The combination of a bold quarterback pick in Drake Maye and the return of Mike Vrabel to Foxborough has reshaped the franchise’s trajectory faster than most predicted.
While the Patriots are trending up, the rest of the division? Not so much.
Let’s start in Miami, where things are unraveling fast. Head coach Mike McDaniel, once hailed as a fresh offensive mind, is now under serious scrutiny.
The Dolphins gave Tua Tagovailoa a hefty extension, only to bench him this season-a move that raised eyebrows across the league. And yet, despite the regression and the noise around McDaniel’s leadership, the Dolphins reportedly plan to stick with him into 2026.
That’s a surprising move, and frankly, it’s one that could keep Miami stuck in neutral. With no clear plan at quarterback and a coaching situation that lacks momentum, the Dolphins are facing a pivotal offseason. Right now, it doesn’t look like they’re equipped to take the next step, which only helps New England’s case in the division.
Then there are the Jets. They made their coaching change already, bringing in Aaron Glenn this past offseason.
But while the hire signals a new direction, the issues in New York run deeper than the sideline. Ownership instability and a lack of urgency continue to plague the franchise, and until that changes, it’s hard to see the Jets becoming a serious threat.
All of this sets the stage for a potential Patriots resurgence-not just this season, but for the foreseeable future.
With two games left on the schedule, New England is within striking distance of the division crown. The Bills still stand in their way, but Buffalo faces a tough matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. If the Patriots can handle business down the stretch and the Bills stumble, we could be looking at a major shift atop the AFC East.
Even if it doesn’t happen this year, the writing is on the wall: New England is building something sustainable. And with their division rivals either stuck in neutral or heading in the wrong direction, the Patriots’ path back to dominance is clearer than it’s been in years.
The dynasty might have ended in 2020-but the next chapter in Foxborough is already being written.