JJ Watt Reacts to Vrabel, Mike Macdonald, Curt Cignetti's Success with Patriots, Seahawks, Indiana

Sports are a results-based business, and retired legend JJ Watt wondered whether the 2025 season has ramped up expectations even more.

The five-time All-Pro reflected on how the New England Patriots' Mike Vrabel, Seattle Seahawks' Mike Macdonald and Indiana's Curt Cignetti have been on the job for two years or fewer. Two of the three are guaranteed to deliver a title:

Cignetti's work with the Hoosiers in particular could have a domino effect on how administrators consider candidates and evaluate the coaches they have on staff.

The 64-year-old inherited a program that 3-9 in 2023 and has historically been one of the most mediocre from a power conference. Within one year, Indiana was a national title contender, and Year 2 brought a 16-0 record and storybook ending in the College Football Playoff.

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If Cignetti can do that at Indiana, what's the excuse for coaches at schools that have better talent and far more resources?

From an NFL perspective, the Patriots' and Seahawks' success underline how breaking up with coaching legends is necessary after a while.

Seattle never truly bottomed out under Pete Carroll, but it clearly needed a new voice in the locker room to become a Super Bowl threat again.

New England, meanwhile, landed on a true successor to Bill Belichick after whiffing badly on Jerod Mayo. Vrabel is the best of both worlds as he can continue Belichick's legacy while carving his own path on the sideline.

A team obviously needs good players in order to win. That's never going to change. The Hoosiers, Seahawks and Patriots all exemplify how good coaching still goes a long way, too.