The New England Patriots fired coach Jerod Mayo after just one season on Monday, and a report on Wednesday revealed details about his first year as an NFL head coach and what led up to that decision.
The Patriots closed out the season by winning the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills, but it wasn't enough for owner Robert Kraft to want to stick with Mayo.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo walks the field before the NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
“After the game I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025. For me, personally, it was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. the best I've ever done,” Kraft said in a statement. “Unfortunately, our team's performance throughout the season was not as high as I had hoped.”
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Mayo had progressed through the Patriots' system, first as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback during his eight-year career and later as a quarterbacks coach under Bill Belichick. But it seems that the “Patriots Way” did not continue with his coaching style.
According to a report from The Athletic, one incident that came close to this situation was getting on the plane home after losing to the Arizona Cardinals last month.
The report said that instead of reviewing film with the coaching staff, Mayo chose to play cards with the players.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo against the Arizona Cardinals in the second half at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
“But in a move that surprised some of the front-runners after such a loss, according to a team source, Mayo, the first-team head coach who was appointed by owner Robert Kraft to succeed . Bill Belichick, he left his seat near the front and went back to where the other players had gathered to play cards, choosing to sit there while his assistants watched the film,” read Chad Graff's report.
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“Look, there are many ways to do the job,” a team source at the airline told Graff. “Not that Jerod was really wrong. But I can't say I've seen that before.”
Other sources added that Mayo's efforts to distance himself from Belichick may have been his downfall.
“They felt that Mayo tried too hard to be 180 degrees from Belichick, and then struggled to apply and maintain discipline after stepping into the position of player coach,” the report continued. .
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick blows his whistle during an NFL football practice, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
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For Kraft, he bore the brunt of what led to Mayo's woes.
“This whole situation is on me. I feel bad for Jerode. Because I put him in an impossible situation,” Kraft said during a press conference on Tuesday. “I know he has all the tools as a head coach to be successful in this league. He needed more time before taking over.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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