Now, with O’Brien revitalizing BC and Vrabel looking to do the same with the Patriots, the area’s most prominent football teams are led by men who bonded in Foxborough.

The Pats were thought to be rebuilding a few years ago. Looking back on it, from Tom Brady's exit to Jerod Mayo's, they were falling apart.

The New England Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel as their next head coach. The team announced the hiring Sunday morning. It comes a week after Patriots owner Robert Kraft fired Jerod Mayo after the team’s season finale victory over the Buffalo Bills to finish 4-13 in his lone season as coach.