He New England Patriots fired coach Jerod Mayo after just one season on Monday, and a report Wednesday revealed revealing details about his first year as an NFL head coach and what the lead-up to that decision was like.
The Patriots closed the season with a victory over their AFC East rivals, the buffalo bills, but it was not enough for owner Robert Kraft to want to continue with Mayo.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
“After the game I informed Jerod Mayo that I will not be returning as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025. For me, personally, it was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made,” Kraft said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team’s performances throughout the season was not as expected.”
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Mayo had developed in the Patriots system, first as a player who won a Super Bowl during his eight-year career and then as a linebackers coach under Bill Belichick. But it seems the “Patriots way” didn’t carry over into his coaching style.
According to a report by the athletic, One incident that caught the attention of those close to the situation was a plane ride home after a loss to the Arizona Cardinals last month.
The report stated that instead of reviewing film with the coaching staff, Mayo opted 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 at the front of the plane after such a lopsided loss, according to a team source, Mayo, the team’s first-year head coach who had been hand-picked by owner Robert Kraft to happen Bill Belichick “He left his spot near the front and returned to where some players had gathered to play cards, choosing to hang out there while his assistants watched the film,” Chad Graff’s report said.
PATRIOTS OWNER ROBERT KRAFT BLAMES HIMSELF AFTER FIRING JEROD MAYO: ‘THE WHOLE SITUATION IS ON ME’
“Look, there are a lot of ways to get the job done,” a team source told Graff on the plane. “Not that Jerod was definitely wrong. But I can’t say I’ve seen it before.”
Other sources added that Mayo’s attempt to differentiate himself from Belichick may have been his undoing.
“They felt Mayo tried too hard to be 180 degrees different from Belichick, then struggled to apply and maintain discipline after positioning himself as a players’ coach,” the report continued.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spins his whistle during an NFL football practice, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
For Kraft, he bore much of what caused Mayo’s problems.
“This whole situation is on me. I feel terrible for Jerod. Because I put him in an untenable situation,” Kraft said during a press conference Tuesday. “I know he has all the tools as a head coach to be successful in this league. He just needed more time before accepting the job.”
