Patriots Continue Makeover With First Post-Belichick Division Title

The Patriots have won their first division title in the post-Bill Belichick era, as the franchise continues to reshape its image on and off the field.

New England clinched the AFC East after the Bills lost to the Eagles on Sunday. With a record of 13–3, the Patriots are guaranteed to have their most wins since at least 2017, and can earn the AFC’s No. 1 seed if they beat the Dolphins in Week 18 and the Broncos lose to the Chargers.

As champions of the AFC East, the Patriots will host at least one home playoff game, the team’s first division crown since 2019.

It marks a swift turnaround for the Patriots, who hired franchise legend Mike Vrabel as their new head coach in January after firing Jerod Mayo and Belichick in consecutive years. Along with quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Vrabel is now leading a new era for the team that won six Super Bowls between 2001 and 2018.

Money to Spend

With Maye still on his rookie deal that will include a roughly $10 million salary cap hit in 2026, New England is currently projected to have around $60 million in cap space heading into the offseason, which ranks 11th in the NFL, according to Spotrac.

In September, the Patriots became the fourth NFL team to add a private equity investor, as owner Robert Kraft sold a total 8% stake in the team to two separate buyers at a more than $9 billion valuation.

Private-equity firm Sixth Street bought 3%, and Greek-American billionaire Dean Metropoulos picked up 5%. The $9 billion franchise valuation would mean the deals brought in more than $700 million of cash. At the time, one source told Front Office Sports that Kraft, 84, will use proceeds from the stake sales to reinvest in the team.

Ahead of the 2025 NFL season, the Patriots completed a $250 million renovation project at Gillette Stadium, which opened in 2002. 

Carolina Blues

New England’s success in the post-Belichick era comes as the franchise’s former coach struggled in his first year at North Carolina. The Tar Heels finished the college football season 4–8, with a 2–6 record in ACC play.

Belichick, 73, has a $10 million annual salary at UNC and has two years of guaranteed money left on his contract. His buyout, should he leave the school of his own accord, dropped from $10 million to $1 million in June, which led to speculation he was leaving the door open for a potential NFL return one day.