the New England Patriots He fired coach Jerrod Mayo after just one season on Monday, and Wednesday's report revealed explicit details about his first year as an NFL coach and what the lead-up to that decision looked like.
The Patriots finished the season with a win over their AFC East rivals, buffalo Bills, But it wasn't enough for owner Robert Kraft to want to continue with Mayo.
New England Patriots coach Jerrod Mayo walks onto the field before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
“After the game, I informed Jerrod Mayo that he will not return as coach of the New England Patriots in 2025,” Kraft said in a statement. “For me personally, this was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made.” He added: “Unfortunately, our team's performance throughout the season did not improve as I had hoped.”
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Mayo has developed in the Patriots system, first as a player who won a Super Bowl during his eight-year career, then as a linebackers coach under Bill Belichick. But it appears that the “Patriots Way” has not carried over into his coaching style.
According to a report from athlete, 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 claimed that instead of reviewing film with the coaching staff, Mayo chose to play cards with the players.
New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo vs. Arizona Cardinals in the second half at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2024. (Photos by Mark J. Rebelas-Imagine)
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 coach and handpicked by owner Robert Kraft for success 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 movie,” Chad Graf’s report said.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft takes blame after Jerrod Mayo shooting: 'It's all on me'
“Look, there are a lot of ways to do this job,” a team source on board told Graf. “Not that Jerrod was wrong, of course. But I can't say I've ever seen that before.”
Other sources added that Mayo's attempt to distinguish himself from Belichick may have been the cause of his downfall.
“They felt Mayo tried too hard to be 180 degrees different from Belichick, then struggled to apply and maintain discipline after establishing himself as a players’ coach,” the report continued.
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick blows his whistle during NFL football practice, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Stephen Sinn, File)
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For Kraft, he endured much of what led to May's problems.
“This whole situation is on me. I feel bad for Jerrod. Because I put him in an untenable position,” Kraft said during a news conference on Tuesday. “I know he has all the tools as a head coach to be successful in this league. He just needed a little more time before taking the job.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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