The New England Patriots fired head coach Jerod Mayo on Sunday night, just one season after promoting him as their successor to the great Bill Belichick.
Mayo was fired following New England's 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills on the final day of the regular season, with the Patriots finishing 4-13 in their third straight loss.
“After today's game, I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025,” owner Robert Kraft said in a statement.
“For me, personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. I've known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career with his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he who behaved in our community.
“When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident, because I saw how the players responded to him.
“When other teams started asking to interview him, I was afraid of losing him and made a commitment that he would become our next head coach. Winning the season opener on the road in Cincinnati only strengthened my beliefs.
“Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team's performances throughout the season did not rise as I had hoped.”
Mayo previously spent eight seasons with the Patriots as a player, winning a Super Bowl during the 2014 season.
He eventually returned in 2019 to join Belichick's staff as the inside linebackers coach, claiming to be one of the most respected defensive minds in football.
His popularity has led him to emerge as a leading candidate to take over from Belichick when and if his time in Foxboro ends. That moment came on the back of a 4-13 record in 2023 when the Patriots moved on from Belichick after six of nine Super Bowl wins and 24 seasons at the helm.
At age 37, he entered the season as the second youngest head coach in the NFL behind Seattle's Mike Macdonald.
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“I am grateful for Jerod's many contributions to the New England Patriots throughout his career and will always be rooting for his success,” Kraft added.
“I appreciate all of his hard work and hope that the experience he has gained will help him in the future as I continue to believe he will be a successful head coach in this league. I wish Jerod and his family nothing but success in the future.”
A grueling season has included encouraging signs from rookie quarterback Drake Maye, whose performances should allow the Patriots to prioritize other positions in the NFL draft if they choose.
New England opened the campaign with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals, before losing six straight, including a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London after which Mayo divided critics by suggesting his team played “soft”.
The Patriots responded with two wins in their next three against the New York Jets and Chicago Bears on either side of an overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans before suffering another six-game skid, including a 40-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on match. at the end of December.
Mayo's departure comes as Mike Vrabel's name has once again entered the pool of head coaching candidates around the league, with the former Tennessee Titans head coach winning three Super Bowls during his time as a player in New England.