FOXBOROUGH – For Anfernee Jennings, the Patriots were the perfect match.
In college, the edge rusher played for Nick Saban and won two national championships at Alabama before entering the NFL. When Bill Belichick selected Jennings in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the rookie figured he’d leave one championship standard for another.
Instead, Jennings came to Foxborough the season after Tom Brady left, and his expectations never matched reality – until this season.
For the Patriots who’ve been here in recent years, the chance to clinch the AFC East title on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills means everything. The Patriots went 8-26 the last two seasons. Now at 11-2, players like Jennings are reveling in a fun, successful season.
“Clearly, it was difficult,” Jennings said of his first years in New England. “It was a challenge for me. I was at ‘Bama. We had a winning standard there, a winning culture… To go through (losing seasons) for a few years and come out and be in the position that we are this year, you don’t take it for granted. “
Jennings and starting right guard Michael Onwenu are the longest tenured players in New England. They’re the only ones who remain from the Patriots’ 2020 draft class. That’s a common theme with New England draft classes from the past. Only Christian Barmore and Rhamondre Stevenson remain from 2021. Marcus Jones is the only member of the team’s 2022 rookie class.
There are no free agent additions from 2020, 2022, or 2023 left on the roster. Two free agents from 2021 (Hunter Henry and Jahlani Tavai) are still on the roster.
For these players, the success of this season has brought out more joy in the game they love. After a two-decade dynastic run, things changed in New England when Brady left after the 2019 season. Over the last five seasons, the Patriots went 33-51.
“Going from my first year to second year, we did good things but never turned a corner and finished those close games,” Onwenu said. “Just seeing that and going into this year, we just know how important this is and know how important these games are. (Winning is) the whole reason we’re doing it. You can have fun playing, but if you’re not winning, it’s really not that much fun.”
Added Henry: “It’s gratifying. It’s fun winning in this league. It’s hard winning in this league. Obviously, we’ve seen that.”
Under Mike Vrabel, the Patriots completely revamped their roster this season. There are 30 new players on the team’s 53-man roster. There are 15 players on the roster brought in during the 2023 and 2024 offseasons. The remaining eight from 2020 to 2022 remain appreciative of playing in meaningful games.
“It was difficult, but at the end of the day, we’re doing what we love to do,” Stevenson said. “It didn’t go how we wanted it to go, but this year, it’s a little different. We’re actually playing for championships. That’s what competitors want to do.”
“It’s a blessing to be in his position,” added Jennings. “Clearly, don’t take it for granted. It’s a good feeling being able to play for something more important than just a regular game… Being in a position to play for something like this means a lot.”
Now, the team has its eyes set on something big. No one on the Patriots roster has won a division title in New England. The Bills have been the AFC East champions every year since Brady left.
For the players who have been in New England, it grew tiresome seeing Buffalo as the kings of the division. Now, they have a chance on Sunday to end their reign.
“This game means a lot,” Onwenu said. “It’s a combination of the last couple of years and resetting as a whole team. Always, the next game is the most important one, but in the division, we want to beat this team because of the last few years of losing to them.”
