From 4 wins to Super Bowl contender — the secret behind the Patriots’ epic turnaround
The New England Patriots are going to the Super Bowl for a record 12th time. But this time is unlike any previous trip.
Last season the Patriots won only four games. This season they won 17 games and are the AFC Champions. It is one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history.
I’ve written and spoken about comebacks and turnarounds. I wrote a book "Turn Your Setbacks Into Comebacks" sharing the components of a comeback and the steps to a turnaround.
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But before you can drop setback mentality, exit survival mode, have forward focus or regain your momentum, something must happen first.
A turnaround or comeback will only happen if you change. You must be willing to do things differently from what you’ve done up to that point. A turnaround pivots on decisive change.
This is exactly what the Patriots did. They made massive changes to their team, and the result is a wildly successful season with an opportunity to become NFL champions. And be the first NFL team to win seven Super Bowls.
Anyone who wants a turnaround in their life must be willing to change too.
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The first thing that must change is your mind. And you change your mind through knowledge. A change of mind happens when you receive new information and gain new knowledge. Part of that knowledge comes through defeat and failure.
The Patriots knew they had to make wholesale changes after losing 13 games last season. Their change started at the top by hiring a new head coach Mike Vrabel. He had played for the Patriots and won three Super Bowls. He previously was the coach of the Tennessee Titans. He hired Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. McDaniels had coached for the Patriots twice before and won Super Bowls with them.
McDaniels developed quarterback Drake Maye from a rookie to an MVP candidate in just his second season. Maye’s progress meant the Patriots had an All-Pro at the most important position in football.
The Patriots made changes in their roster too. They signed wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who leads the team in receptions and yardage. They signed linebacker Robert Spillane, who leads the team in tackles. They signed edge rusher Harold Landry, who leads the team in sacks. And they signed defensive tackle Milton Williams, who impacts the whole defense.
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They drafted key players as well. The Pats picked Will Campbell to be their new left tackle and Jared Wilson their new left guard. They drafted running back TreVeyon Henderson, who scored 10 touchdowns this season. The Patriots' opening day roster included 30 new players, most in the NFL. All these changes helped turn around the Patriots' season.
You can have an incredible comeback if you change your mind. It happens because you know more, you are wiser and you have insights that will lead to a turnaround.
After a change of mind, there must be a change of heart. A change of heart is the result of a new attitude; you decide that your attitude is going to change. You determine that you are going to view life from a positive perspective.
Some people never have the comeback they should because they refuse to change their attitude. A negative attitude will never lead to a positive comeback.
Resistance to change is mostly fear of the unknown. The way you overcome fear is with belief. You believe that the change can happen, that it can be done. This is what coach Vrabel stressed to his team, "You have to believe things sometimes before you can see them."
You must open yourself up to new possibilities, new opportunities and new experiences. But if your attitude doesn’t change, and you don’t have a change of heart, it won’t happen.
Vrabel helped his team to believe more by introducing the Four H’s, where players shared personal insights into their history, heroes, heartbreaks and hopes. He went first, and the entire team bonded over a newfound attitude of belief.
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There is a final change that must happen. You must change your future. And you change your future through commitment. You choose to be committed to your turnaround. Everybody wants a turnaround; every NFL team wants to be a conference champion. The Patriots won because they committed to coach Vrabel’s two non-negotiables — effort and finish.
You have a comeback when you commit to change.
Not when you want to change, not when you think you should change, not when you talk about changing, but when you commit to change.
Commitments drive success more than goals. Successful people are simply ordinary people who make commitments others are unwilling to make. I’ve seen it repeatedly in my life and leadership. And the NFL has witnessed it with the Patriots' remarkable turnaround.
If you gain new knowledge, believe you will have a comeback and stay committed to the process — you can experience a powerful turnaround too.