When defensive tackle Milton Williams signed with the Patriots as a free agent in March, he admittedly didn’t think the team was going to be Super Bowl contenders.
“I’m not going to lie,” said Williams, who in March signed the richest contract (four years, $104 million) in franchise history. “I didn’t expect it this fast.”
Why would he?
At the time of the deal, the Patriots were coming off back-to-back 4-13 seasons. They had just hired their third coach in as many years. The organization had yet to find its footing in the years following the departure of their longtime quarterback Tom Brady.
There was reason to believe new coach Mike Vrabel could help return the team to respectability and relevance, but a trip to the Super Bowl? Such a goal seemed fantastical. Especially in Year 1 of the club’s third attempt at a rebuild since 2020.
Read the full story from Nicole Yang at BostonGlobe.com. |
