Little went right for the Patriots in 2024. 

While shortcomings on the offensive line and a dearth of proven playmakers across the roster were to be expected, New England’s steady defense regressed in just about every facet during this past season. 

New England ranked 22nd in points allowed per game (24.5) last season, giving up 47 total touchdowns after relinquishing 38 in 2023.

Years of poor drafting and free-agent whiffs have seemingly caught up to the Patriots, with Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez standing as some of the few bright spots on a depth chart severely lacking in terms of talent. 

But speaking at the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Wednesday, Gonzalez admitted that the mentality that the team adopted under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo also might have had an adverse effect on a rebuilding roster. 

“I would say the building got a little more lax. I mean, that might have hurt us,” Gonzalez said on NBC Sports’ PFT Live with Mike Florio and Chris Simms. “I would probably say it got a little more lax.”

Following Bill Belichick’s 24-year run in Foxborough, Mayo and his revamped staff made a concerted effort toward lightening the atmosphere at Gillette Stadium in 2024 — with de-facto GM Eliot Wolf (who remains with the team) stressing last year that the team was looking to adopt “less of a hard-ass vibe” moving forward. 

But as the Patriots started to struggle on the field, things quickly snowballed for a team short on talent and accountability. 

Beyond those lapses in execution on the field, off-the-field distractions like linebacker Jahlani Tavai calling out Patriots fans for booing the team and Javon Baker missing curfew in London further added to the team’s dysfunction. 

Speaking during his introductory press conference as Patriots head coach, Mike Vrabel stressed the importance of accountability as he attempts to augment New England’s culture moving forward. 

“We’re going to earn the right to be here every day. We’re going to move entitlement from our football team,” Vrabel said of his plans for the Patriots in 2025. “We’re going to get everything that we’ve earned from the head coach to the position coaches, all the way down to the players. 

“We’re going to earn the right to be here every single day. …We want to treat every player the same way they treat the team, and we want to treat every employee the same way they treat the team.”

Speaking to The Boston Globe’s Nicole Yang, former Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork stressed that a coach like Vrabel should be able to bring some stability to the organization moving forward. 

“I think he’s going to come in and put it all back together,” Wilfork said. “He comes in with the respect. Jerod had to deal with all the chatter of never having been a head coach or coordinator. Not a lot of guys bought in. He had to learn his way. I know Mike comes in with a totally different respect because he’s been there.”

“If you don’t like it, you can leave,” Wilfork added. “Simple as that. We’re going to play this game one way and one way only. If you’re not up for that, this is not the place for you. I know he’s coming in like that. He’s going to get the team’s attention right away.”