New Faces in New Places: The New England Patriots' 2024 Season

The New England Patriots are rightfully regarded as one of the most successful teams in the NFL’s history. However, their time in the spotlight came in 2000, when quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick arrived and led the Patriots to all but two of their Super Bowl appearances, and their first of six Super Bowl Victories from 2002 to 2019. This era, labeled “the Patriots Dynasty,” was one of the most dominant in NFL history, and made the team the one to beat going into the 2020s.

Fast-forward to 2024, and the Patriots have become a shadow of their former self. They arrive at a new season as the worst team in the AFC and third-worst in the NFL. To remedy the team’s decline in performance, they have acquired multiple new and experienced talents, including newly drafted University of North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. According to an AFC personnel director, Maye is “big and mobile and can sling it around but he didn’t play consistent football [in 2023].” When drafting someone as important as a quarterback into your lineup, the goal is to nurture their talent so they one day take the mantle and improve the team’s performance. However, “one day” is not 2024, so it’s too early to say if this pickup is beneficial.

What could be beneficial is the Patriots’ newly appointed head coach, Jerod Mayo. Mayo, the Patriots’ former linebackers coach, was handed the position after the lackluster performance from 2023 head coach Bill Belichick. Moving into this season, Mayo wants to turn a new leaf and climb back up the standings. When speaking to reporters on Sept. 24, Mayo stated: “We have to support [head quarterback Jacoby Brissett] across the board as a coaching staff and as players…and hopefully give him opportunities to look for the open receiver.” Mayo has a direction he wants to take the team in and is set to make things happen. However, his plans and goals depend on the rest of the staff and the players, as one error on Mayo’s part can make or break the team’s synergy as the season progresses.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, few football fans provide a positive outlook on their upcoming season. Among JWU students, the answers varied. Some who were the least supportive of the team hoped they would remain at the bottom of the standings, whereas others felt they would do better than seasons past but nowhere near their dynasty era. Other outlets share similar sentiments, expecting the team to pick up but a few victories during the regular season. Regardless of the source, many expect the Patriots’ upcoming season to fare as poorly as the last. I’d expect the Patriots to fare about the same, as many of the new prospects they’ve acquired or promoted in the off-season are more long-term developments, meaning there won’t be any drastic growth in performance anytime soon.

So why root for a team that is statistically one of the worst teams currently in the NFL? For people like me, who live in the Northeast but rarely watch American football, there is little reason to, as the Eagles, Giants, Jets, and Bills have all performed better in previous seasons. However, as a fellow American sports fan, I’ve always admired our loyalty and optimism whenever our teams or players are down and out, and there is still potential in who the Patriots have lined up for future success. The Patriots are no longer in their dynasty era, but I wouldn’t count them out from raising a few eyebrows. All it takes is for the players and coaches to start clicking with each other, and the Patriots may just rocket themselves up the standings. All in all: don’t count the Patriots out this season. They are the Patriots, after all.