Is it possible that the reigning NFL Coach of the Year is already being overlooked? That's the question Patriots fans might be asking after Mike Vrabel landed at a surprisingly low seventh place in NBC Sports' recent 2026 head coach rankings.

This placement raises eyebrows, especially considering Vrabel's immediate impact in New England. Taking over a struggling roster, he engineered a stunning culture reset and led the team to a Super Bowl berth in his very first season—a feat that typically cements a coach's elite status.

The ranking becomes even more puzzling when you look at the names directly above him. Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh, whom Vrabel's Patriots defeated head-to-head in the recent playoffs, are ranked fifth and sixth, respectively. While several coaches ahead of Vrabel have Lombardi Trophies on their resumes, his rapid transformation of the Patriots' fortunes seems to be a monumental achievement in its own right.

Even the analyst behind the rankings, Patrick Daugherty, seemed to struggle to justify Vrabel's spot. He praised Vrabel for instantly taking a team with a young quarterback to the Super Bowl and for a "season of overachievement," acknowledging that Vrabel accomplished "much more with less." For many, that's the very definition of great coaching.

As the Patriots look to build on their success, this ranking serves as a reminder that sometimes the most impressive turnarounds don't get their full due. For a coach who has already proven he can maximize his team's potential, Vrabel's seventh-place finish feels more like a motivator than an accurate reflection of his standing in the league.