Some of the defining moments of Pete Carroll’s 18 years as an NFL coach have ties to the New England Patriots. He won his first playoff game during his first season as the Patriots' coach in 1997. And he was fired by the Patriots following the 1999 season,

Armed with a new head coach in Mike Vrabel as well as second year quarterback Drake Maye, the Patriots look to take steps to being relevant again.

The Raiders and Patriots are in search of fresh starts coming off 4-13 finishes in 2024. Las Vegas is turning to new coach Pete Carroll to ignite its turnaround.

The Titans fell to seven wins in 2022 before a six-win showing in 2023, and with rumblings of a power struggle in the front office, Vrabel was ousted following a six-year stint as Titans head coach. He spent the 2024 campaign as a consultant for the Browns, and he entered the 2025 offseason as one of the top HC candidates on the market.

New England's recent additions, combined with other factors, may produce the best season the team has had in several years.

Their upcoming season opener will be the first real opportunity for Mike Vrabel and his new-look New England Patriots coaching staff to present themselves to the NFL. The same is true for their opponent: the Las Vegas Raiders also made sweeping changes in this area over the offseason.

Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams, a former Eagles defender, reacted to Jalen Carter's ejection on social media.