The New England Patriots stunned everyone last year by going 13-4, winning the division and returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since the departure of Tom Brady in 2020. But a breakout season from second-year quarterback Drake Maye and a defensive turnaround under former Patriots linebacker turned head coach Mike Vrabel helped cover up the flaws on a roster largely flung together in free agency, and New England got throttled by the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. Now, they face a much tougher schedule as division champions, though with a new star wideout in tow after acquiring A.J. Brown from the Eagles.
The Buffalo Bills saw their streak of five straight AFC East titles snapped, and another gutting playoff loss — this time to the Broncos in the divisional round — resulted in the shock firing of head coach Sean McDermott. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady was promoted to take his place, meaning 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen will have plenty of familiarity as he tries again for that elusive Super Bowl.
The New York Jets, meanwhile, once again appear perched in a tenuous position after a disastrous debut season from Aaron Glenn as their head coach. Glenn has replaced nearly his entire coaching staff, but one familiar face has returned — Geno Smith, 13 years after the Jets drafted him in the second round, is back for his second stint, albeit likely as a bridge quarterback to a 2027 draft pick.
The Miami Dolphins also appear to be headed for a rebuild with a distinctly Green Bay flavor as new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, head coach Jeff Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis all took their talents from the Packers to South Beach.
