The New England Patriots promoted their inside linebackers coach, Jerod Mayo, to move coach after parting methods with Invoice Belichick final season. Nevertheless, the franchise fired the 38-year-old solely a yr later after ending the season with a 4-13 file.
Mayo’s ultimate win over the Buffalo Payments within the regular-season finale was expensive, dropping New England from the No. 1 decide within the 2025 NFL Draft to No. 4 general. Now, the Patriots might be looking out for his or her second coach in as a few years.
Patriots Executives’ Surprising Declare About Jerod Mayo
The Athletic’s Chad Graff reported a questionable incident involving the ex-Patriots head coach. When the group was on its manner again following a 30-17 loss towards the Arizona Cardinals, Mayo selected to play playing cards with gamers as an alternative of analyzing the movie with the teaching employees.
It was New England’s fourth straight defeat, taking their season file to 3-11.
“Look, there are lots of methods to do the job. It’s not that Jerod’s was undoubtedly incorrect. However I can’t say I’ve seen that earlier than,” a Patriots government advised Graff.
After an uncompetitive loss in Arizona, Jerod Mayo “stunned” #Patriots execs and coaches when he opted to play playing cards with gamers on the aircraft experience again reasonably than watch movie with assistants, per @TheAthletic.
“I can’t say I’ve seen that earlier than,” a employees member stated. pic.twitter.com/wxQhOywVvf
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) January 8, 2025
With simply 4 wins to their title and a number of heavy defeats all through the season, Mayo’s manner of teaching was unorthodox, to say the least.
One can defend Mayo, saying the group was in a transparent state of rebuilding with one of many worst offensive strains within the NFL, permitting stress on the third-highest price. Furthermore, they didn’t have any actual weapons on that facet of the ball both, resulting in a Twenty eighth-ranked offense in line with PFN’s Offensive+ metric.
Even with a 4-13 file, there have been fairly a number of positives to remove for the Patriots this season. Regardless of the standard of the roster, quarterback Drake Maye shined in his restricted time.
Regardless that he was ranked twentieth amongst all quarterbacks in line with PFN’s QB+ metric, he was second amongst all rookies behind the seemingly Offensive Rookie of the Yr winner, Jayden Daniels.
Mayo appeared to know this transfer was coming, as he was fairly combative with the media after the Patriots’ Week 18 win over Buffalo.
“For me, it’s all about simply this sport, to return to the beginning. It’s all about this sport, and we’ll speak about that tomorrow,” Mayo stated when requested if he anticipated to be again as head coach subsequent yr.
“… In some unspecified time in the future in time right here, I’ll have my regular assembly with the Krafts, and we’ll see the place it goes from there.”
Robert Kraft Takes Accountability for Failed 2024 Season After Firing Mayo
After firing Mayo, Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft didn’t put the blame on his now-former head coach however reasonably on himself.
“This entire scenario is on me. I really feel horrible for Jerod as a result of I put him in an untenable scenario. I do know that he has all of the instruments of a head coach to achieve success on this league. He simply wanted extra time earlier than taking the job,” he stated.
Kraft shared the rationale behind shifting on from Mayo.
“This entire scenario advanced, however I’d say during the last month, I went backwards and forwards. The excessive level of every part for me was successful the Cincinnati sport. Then mid-season, I simply assume we began to regress,” Kraft stated.
“I don’t like shedding. I don’t like shedding the way in which we misplaced. Issues weren’t growing the way in which we might have preferred, and it was time to maneuver on,” he added.
As Kraft and the Patriots transfer ahead, the lingering questions on Mayo’s firing and the group’s future proceed to gasoline hypothesis, with followers weighing in on each twist.
A possible title to look out for may be Brian Flores from the Minnesota Vikings. Whereas experiences of Kevin O’Connell being on the transfer are making the rounds, Flores could possibly be a reputation to watch for the defense-loving Patriots.
A superb schemer, he turned the Vikings right into a stifling defensive juggernaut. Based on PFN’s defensive metrics, Minnesota ranks third within the NFL. As a part of the Belichick teaching tree, it may be a return to previous searching grounds for Flores as properly.
