Ernie Adams may have retired four years ago, but that doesn’t mean Bill Belichick’s former top aide hasn’t been paying attention to what’s been going on in Foxborough.
The legendary Adams, who played a key role in the Patriots six championships, still keeps tabs on his former team and during a recent interview with MassLive, offered his thoughts on new coach Mike Vrabel and the 2025 team.
Adams, who was with the team for most of Belichick’s run, and served as his most trusted advisor, fondly remembers Vrabel from his playing days.
“You know what? Whenever there was a tough situation in a big game, the reason we won most of them was because we had guys like Mike Vrabel playing for us,” Adams told MassLive recently. “He had a big part in making things happen.”
But will Vrabel be able to make it happen for the 2025 Patriots, who kick off the regular season Sunday when they host the Las Vegas Raiders?
Adams, who’s heard all of the hype, and all the talk of this edition being a playoff team, was quick to throw a caution flag. While he loves Vrabel, he served up a dose of reality.
RELATED:Play MassLive’s ‘Pro Football U Pick ‘Em Challenge’ sponsored by MGM Springfield
“This is an organization coming off two bad years,” Adams said. “They’ve got a lot of new people, new coaches, new system, a lot of new players, I mean … the first thing they need to do is get a team out there that can play solid, competitive football before they start worrying about all that.
“You’ve got to be really careful,” Adams went on. “Be careful about what they do in T-shirts, and don’t fall in love too early.”
Adams, who spent 21 years in Foxborough doing various jobs, including scouting opposing teams and being Belichick’s eye-in-the-sky on game days, said it’s ludicrous for anyone to predict a team will be in the Super Bowl or the playoffs if it can’t block. The effectiveness of the offensive line has been a long-standing problem for the Patriots.
“Look, if you can’t block, you’re not going any place,” Adams said. “You gotta just go out there and learn how to play solid football. When you do that, then you can start worrying about taking the next step.”
The Patriots currently sport an offensive line that features two rookies — Will Campbell and Jared Wilson — starting on the left side. Can they block well enough to keep Drake Maye upright?
That remains to be seen.
The Patriots are going to have to endure some growing pains with that duo. Injuries are another concern. All-Pro corner Christian Gonzalez still hasn’t been able to get back on the field after suffering a hamstring injury July 29.
Beyond Vrabel, Adams likes the coaches on the staff, and the direction the Patriots are headed. He’s just not willing to put the cart before the horse.
“They have a lot of good people there. I’m sure they’ll give a good account of themselves. But they’ve got a long way to go,” he said. “I mean, they got Mike Vrabel. If they won the Super Bowl last year, they wouldn’t need Mike Vrabel.”
Robert Kraft fired Belichick after a 4-13 campaign in 2023. He also let Jerod Mayo — Belichick’s replacement — go after a 4-13 season in 2024.
So Vrabel is inheriting a group that’s lacking in talent and understanding what it takes to win. While he’s gotten rid of a healthy share of players from the 2024 team, the roster is thin.
“I would say they’re not as bad as they were when Chuck Fairbanks or Bill Parcells took over. They’re a little better than that,” Adams said. “But both of those situations required a total resurrection. I don’t think they’re quite there. But hey, they’ve had two years in a row they won four games.”
Fairbanks inherited a team in 1973 that won three games the previous year, and two a couple of seasons before. As for Parcells, who is headed into the Patriots Hall of Fame on the 20th of this month, he took over after Dick MacPherson’s team went 2-14 during the 1992 season.
Adams, however, believes Vrabel will eventually turn things around. He just wasn’t willing to anoint them this year.
“If you do the right things, get guys playing good football, it may take a while,” Adams said, “but it can be done.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.