Jerod Mayo Fired After One Season

Jerod Mayo is out after just one season as Patriots head coach, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a move made quickly after a 23-16 victory over the Bills in a battle of B and C-squadders.

The win snapped New England’s six-game losing streak, but it also cost New England the first overall pick in April’s draft.

News broke minutes after Mayo’s final postgame press conference, in which he credited the players for their effort in the game and throughout the season.

“Just there in the locker room, pretty emotional, but at the same time, these guys have been turning the page, ignoring the noise, and just coming to work every day, and I’m very appreciative of that,” Mayo said. “Told them after the first win of the season, coaches are nothing without the players, and I just told them that again, and I just appreciate all the effort. Also told them, ‘Look, today it’s all about the game. We’ll have enough time here tomorrow and the next couple of days to address all the other things.’”

Mayo ultimately wouldn’t get that chance. And though the speed of the move was surprising, the decision itself was not.

The career Patriot maintained buy-in and loyalty from his players throughout the season, with some going too far to defend him at times. He garnered praise for his tough but fair coaching style and his efforts to build and maintain relationships.

Unfortunately, Mayo was thrown into the deep end before he could swim. And instead of a life-preserver, he grabbed an anvil that steadily sunk New England’s credibility.

WHY MAYO WAS FIRED

Losses were expected from the Patriots, who boasted arguably the league’s least-talented roster. Mayo also lacked the experience or connections to build a familiar coaching staff and front office, tasks that went to Wolf.

While being undermanned across the board was an anchor in itself, Mayo exacerbated organizational weaknesses with self-inflicted errors and a failure to adapt. 

Early offseason promises (winning more than four games, burning some cash, and building a team that could consistently run and stop the run) all fell flat.

Consistent slow starts and shaky in-game decision-making (aggressiveness at the end of halves, conservativeness on critical late downs, occasionally poor time-out management, and odd personal moves) led to questions about whether Mayo was ready to handle the chess match of a live NFL game.

These errors may have been excusable in a vacuum. However, Mayo’s consistent press conference blunders eroded the Patriots’ respectability. 

“Walkback Mondays” became a punchline for both local and national reporters. These included, but were not limited to, apologies for calling Drake Maye the best quarterback out of training camp six weeks before starting him, justifying a late-game decision by referencing a Super Bowl he did not play in, seemingly taking a shot at his offensive coordinator, and declaring the wrong starting running back after saying he wanted to send a message about accountability. Mayo even admitted to answering some questions out of frustration, a red flag from the team’s leader.

Further compounding the losses, ineffective coaching, and poor public perception was what appeared to be an eroding culture. 

Mayo encouraged a freer environment to separate himself from the no-nonsense Bill Belichick. While admirable in theory, the Patriots lacked the leadership to manage such freedom. 

Players regularly voiced their frustrations through reporters and social media, particularly New England’s wide receiver room. Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas were repeat offenders, and Ja’Lynn Polk publicly rebuffed Mayo’s assertions that he was in the midst of a mental slump. The most egregious offense may have been Jahlani Tavai criticizing fans during an interview on WEEI for booing and calling for Mayo’s job during a blowout home loss to the Chargers.

Mayo’s firing is unfortunate and arguably unfair, but the NFL is a business. The Krafts correctly concluded that Mayo was not a good fit, and their decision frees the team to pursue a more promising path.

WHAT NOW?

New England must prioritize head coach candidates with a proven track record of success and culture-building acumen. Unless leadership is blown away by the plan and connections presented by offensive masterminds Ben Johnson and Liam Cohen, it will be tough to justify another inexperienced leader.

Patriots Hall of Famer Mike Vrabel headlines the list of tested veteran coaches, and the interest is reportedly mutual. 

Vrabel’s Titans tenure ended on a sour note. He was miffed by the trade of A.J. Brown to the Eagles; he lost offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to the Falcons, and he didn’t mesh with Titans ownership and front office. 

If the Krafts hire Vrabel, he would likely be given the control he sought in Tennessee while bringing a culture of discipline, toughness, and accountability. The coach has also seemingly benefited from his stint as a consultant for the Browns, learning about the benefits of analytics and different approaches to team-building.

Other top candidates with head coaching experience include Vikings defensive coordinator and former Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, Commanders offensive coordinator and former New England draft pick Kliff Kingsbury, and Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman.

Whoever is chosen to succeed Mayo, the search should be a thorough and sincere process that gives each candidate a fair chance to earn the job. Otherwise, the organization will have fallen short of its promise to build around and support Drake Maye.