The New England Patriots fired coach Jerod Mayo after only one season on Monday, and a report on Wednesday revealed telling particulars about his first 12 months as NFL head coach and what the lead as much as that call seemed like.
The Patriots closed out the season with a win over AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills, but it surely wasn’t sufficient for proprietor Robert Kraft to need to keep on with Mayo.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo walks on the sector previous to an NFL soccer recreation towards the Buffalo Payments, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photograph/Robert F. Bukaty)
“After the sport I knowledgeable Jerod Mayo that he is not going to be returning as the pinnacle coach of the New England Patriots in 2025. For me, personally, it was one of many hardest choices I’ve ever made,” Kraft stated in an announcement. “Sadly, the trajectory of our group’s performances all through the season didn’t ascend as I had hoped.”
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Mayo had developed within the Patriots’ system, first as a participant profitable a Tremendous Bowl throughout his eight-year profession and later as a linebackers coach underneath Invoice Belichick. However plainly the “Patriots’ means” didn’t carry over into his teaching type.
Based on a report from The Athletic, one incident that stood out to these near the state of affairs was a airplane journey residence after a loss to the Arizona Cardinals final month.
The report claimed that as an alternative of reviewing movie with the teaching workers, Mayo opted to play playing cards with the gamers.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo towards the Arizona Cardinals within the second half at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 15, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Pictures)
“However in a transfer that stunned some on the entrance of the airplane after such a lopsided loss, in response to a group supply, Mayo, the group’s first-year head coach who had been handpicked by proprietor Robert Kraft to succeed Bill Belichick, left his spot close to the entrance and went again to the place some gamers had gathered to play playing cards, selecting to hang around there whereas his assistants watched movie,” Chad Graff’s report learn.
PATRIOTS OWNER ROBERT KRAFT SHOULDERS BLAME AFTER FIRING JEROD MAYO: ‘WHOLE SITUATION IS ON ME’
“Look, there are a whole lot of methods to do the job,” a group supply on the airplane informed Graff. “It’s not that Jerod’s was undoubtedly incorrect. However I can’t say I’ve seen that earlier than.”
Different sources added that Mayo’s try to differentiate himself from Belichick might have been his downfall.
“Mayo, they felt, tried too exhausting to be 180 levels totally different from Belichick, then struggled to use and uphold self-discipline after positioning himself as a gamers’ coach,” the report continued.
New England Patriots head coach Invoice Belichick twirls his whistle throughout an NFL soccer apply, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photograph/Steven Senne, File)
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For Kraft, he shouldered a lot of what led to Mayo’s troubles.
“This entire state of affairs is on me. I really feel horrible for Jerod. As a result of I put him in an untenable state of affairs,” Kraft stated throughout a press convention on Tuesday. “I do know he has all of the instruments as a head coach to achieve success on this league. He simply wanted extra time earlier than taking the job.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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