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The New England Patriots are going to the Super Bowl for a record twelfth time. But this time it is unlike any previous trip.
Last season the Patriots won only four games. This season they won 17 games and are AFC champions. It's one of the biggest trades in NFL history.
I have written and spoken about returns and changes. I wrote a book, “Turn Your Setbacks Into Comebacks,” in which I share the components of a comeback and the steps to making a change.
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But before you can abandon the retreat mentality, get out of survival mode, focus on the future, or regain momentum, something must happen first.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye celebrates with the AFC championship trophy after the AFC championship game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots in Denver, Colorado, on January 25, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A change or a return will only happen if you change. You must be willing to do things differently than what you have done up to that point. A radical change depends on a decisive change.
This is exactly what the Patriots did. They made massive changes to their team and the result is a tremendously successful season with a chance to become NFL champions. And be the first NFL team to win seven Super Bowls.
Anyone who wants a change in their life must be willing to change too.
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The first thing you must change is your way of thinking. And you change your mind through knowledge. A change of mind occurs when you receive new information and acquire new knowledge. Part of that knowledge comes from defeat and failure.
The Patriots knew they had to make radical changes after losing 13 games last season. Their turnaround started at the top with the hiring of a new head coach, Mike Vrabel. He played for the Patriots and won three Super Bowls. He previously coached the Tennessee Titans. Hired Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. McDaniels had coached the Patriots twice before and won Super Bowls with them.
McDaniels developed quarterback Drake Maye from rookie to 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 also made changes to their roster. They signed wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who leads the team in receptions and yards. They signed linebacker Robert Spillane, who leads the team in tackles. They signed running back Harold Landry, who leads the team in sacks. And they signed defensive tackle Milton Williams, who impacts the entire defense.
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They also selected key players. The Pats selected Will Campbell as their new left tackle and Jared Wilson as their new left guard. They drafted running back Treveon Henderson, who scored 10 touchdowns this season. The Patriots' opening day roster included 30 new players, most in the NFL. All of these changes helped turn around the Patriots' season.
A change or a return will only happen if you change. You must be willing to do things differently than what you have done up to that point. A radical change depends on a decisive change.
You can have an amazing comeback if you change your mind. It happens because you know more, you are wiser and you have ideas that will lead you to a change of direction.
After a change of mind, there must be a change of mind. A change of mind is the result of a new attitude; You decide that your attitude is going to change. You determine that you are going to see life from a positive perspective.
Some people never get the answer they should because they refuse to change their attitude. A negative attitude will never lead to a positive return.
Resistance to change is mainly fear of the unknown. The way to overcome fear is with faith. You believe that change can happen, that it can be done. This is what Coach Vrabel stressed to his team: “Sometimes you have to believe things before you can see them.”
Drake Maye of the New England Patriots is pressured by Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos during the first quarter of the AFC Championship Playoff game at Empower Field At Mile High on January 25, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
You must open yourself to new possibilities, new opportunities and new experiences. But if your attitude doesn't change and you don't change your mind, it won't happen.
Vrabel helped his team believe more by presenting the Four Hs, where players shared personal insights about their history, heroes, heartbreaks, and hopes. He was the first and the entire team came together thanks to a new attitude of faith.
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There is a final change that must occur. You must change your future. And you change your future through commitment. You choose to commit to your change of course. Everyone wants a change; Every NFL team wants to be a conference champion. The Patriots won because they committed to Coach Vrabel's two non-negotiables: effort and finishing.
You have a comeback when you commit to change.
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Not when you want to change, not when you think you should change, not when you talk about changing, but when you commit to changing.
Commitments drive success more than goals. Successful people are simply ordinary people who make commitments that others are not willing to make. I have seen it repeatedly in my life and in my leadership. And the NFL has witnessed it with the notable turnaround of the Patriots.
If you gain new knowledge, believe you will come back, and stay committed to the process; You can also experience a powerful change.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM PASTOR RICK MCDANIEL
