Coming off an underwhelming season, the Patriots have set their sights on 2025.
Their season ending in early January has become a disappointing tradition for the New England Patriots lately. For a third straight year, the team has failed to qualify for the playoffs and will therefore once again embark on its offseason sooner than desired.
What that offseason will look like is anybody’s guess at this point in time. Head coach Jerod Mayo has been fired within hours of the final game, while the club has vast resources to work with in both free agency and the draft.
Front office and ownership will have to do their part in order to get the Patriots back on track after two straight 4-13 seasons, and so will the players. Leading the charge, at least spiritually, is one of the team’s longest-tenured players: center David Andrews, who is heading into his 11th season in the league.
During the final media availability of the season on Monday, Andrews spoke about what the players have to do over the offseason in order to get the Patriots headed in a positive direction again.
“It’s such a big time for everyone in all different aspects,” Andrews said.
“It starts today for guys — guys that are hurt or injured, are going to have to have surgery, or are just get rested up and ready to go. The offseason’s such a big time for guys.”
Andrews himself falls in the category of injured players. The team captain suffered a shoulder injury in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers, and underwent season-ending surgery shortly thereafter.
Even at age 32, he will attempt to make a comeback and return to his position in the lineup. In doing so, he is setting the tone for his teammates.
“Guys can either go around and do nothing for the next three, four months, or they can come in in April ready to go and in the best shape they can be in,” Andrews said while presenting a to-do list of sorts.
“Get healthy. Get stronger, faster. Take care of your nutrition, and do all that to put yourself in the best position not only for this football team but for yourself personally. Come in in April, and having a great April leads into great OTAs, which lead into a great training camp and hopefully a great year.”
The veteran offensive lineman stressed the need for offseason work especially in regards to his younger teammates. And there are plenty of them: 48 of 76 players on the Patriots’ pay roll to end the 2024 season were within their first three seasons in the league.
“I saw a lot of growth in Year 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, and so on,” Andrews said. “You’ve got a year under your belt, two years, whatever it may be to say, ‘Alright, these are areas that I can improve on.’ That’s what you try to do.”