Coming off a loss in Super Bowl LX, the New England Patriots spent their offseason overhauling a roster that led them to a conference title but that ultimately over-performed in 2025. So, in order to establish themselves as a true powerhouse in the league rather than a one-hit wonder, Mike Vrabel and company invested serious resources — from high-profile free agency signings, to draft investments, to one of the biggest trades in recent franchise history.
Training camp and to a lesser degree preseason already allowed for some first insight into the new-look Patriots’ progress in Year 2 under Vrabel. However, the overall stakes were still relatively minimal throughout the summer.
On Wednesday night, all of that changes. In a rematch of said Super Bowl, the Patriots will take on the Seattle Seahawks to kickstart the 2026 NFL regular season.
