FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In a shocking flip, Jerod Mayo is out after one 12 months as head coach of the New England Patriots, the staff introduced Sunday.
The Patriots completed the 2024 season with a 4-13 document. Mayo’s one-year tenure matches Rod Rust, who went 1-15 in 1990, for the shortest in franchise historical past.
“For me, personally, this was one of many hardest choices I’ve ever made,” proprietor Robert Kraft stated in an announcement. “I’ve recognized Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and all through his profession for his play on the sphere, his management within the locker room and the best way he performed himself in our group. When he joined our teaching employees, his management was much more evident, as I noticed how the gamers responded to him. When different groups began requesting to interview him, I feared I’d lose him and dedicated to creating him our subsequent head coach. Successful our season-opener on the street at Cincinnati solely strengthened my convictions. Sadly, the trajectory of our staff’s performances all through the season didn’t ascend as I had hoped.”
“Since shopping for the staff, I’ve at all times thought-about myself and my household as custodians of a public asset. We now have large followers who count on and deserve a greater product than we’ve delivered lately. I apologize for that. I’ve given a lot thought and consideration as to what actions I can take to expedite our return to championship rivalry and decided this transfer was the most suitable choice at the moment.”
“I’m grateful for Jerod’s many contributions to the New England Patriots all through his profession and can at all times be rooting for his success. I respect all his exhausting work and hope the experiences gained will assist him sooner or later, as I nonetheless imagine he can be a profitable head coach on this league. I want Jerod and his household nothing however success sooner or later.”
The Patriots received Mayo’s final sport as coach, a 23-16 victory over the Buffalo Payments that dropped New England from selecting No. 1 within the 2025 draft to No. 4.
Robert Kraft and staff president Jonathan Kraft will now start a seek for the Patriots’ sixteenth head coach, with former New England linebacker and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel among the many candidates they’re anticipated to interview.
Robert Kraft anticipated “rising pains” in Mayo’s debut season, partly as a result of Mayo inherited a depleted roster. The Patriots entered the 12 months tied with the Carolina Panthers for the bottom projected win complete — 4.5 — so the choice to maneuver on from Mayo displays how Kraft considered the staff’s struggles as greater than a results of lack of expertise.
Firing a head coach after one season is uncommon however not unprecedented.
Over the previous decade, Mayo joins Frank Reich (Panthers, 2023), Nathaniel Hackett (Denver Broncos, 2022), Lovie Smith (Houston Texans, 2022), David Culley (Texans, 2021), City Meyer (Jacksonville Jaguars, 2021), Freddie Kitchens (Cleveland Browns, 2019), Steve Wilks (Arizona Cardinals, 2018), Chip Kelly (San Francisco 49ers, 2016) and Jim Tomsula (49ers, 2015) as non-interim head coaches who did not make it to their second season.
The 38-year-old Mayo had been handpicked by Robert Kraft because the successor to Invoice Belichick, with Kraft citing Mayo’s knack for connecting with a youthful technology of gamers. Mayo performed linebacker for the Patriots from 2008 to 2015, served as an government in finance at a healthcare firm upon his retirement and labored in media earlier than becoming a member of Belichick’s employees as a linebackers coach from 2019 to 2023.
Within the years main as much as being named Patriots head coach on Jan. 17, 2024, he had interviewed for head teaching jobs with the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Las Vegas Raiders. Kraft had been involved he would possibly lose Mayo, so in 2023, he inserted language into his contract that made him Belichick’s successor. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell later referred to as the succession clause “good administration.”
One of many prime disappointments of Mayo’s one-year tenure was the protection, contemplating that was his experience as a participant and assistant.
The protection regressed in a number of areas, coming into the season finale with simply 12 takeaways and final within the NFL in quarterback contacts, in keeping with ESPN Analysis.
He additionally walked again a number of feedback over the 12 months, acknowledging he made a “rookie mistake” when saying shortly after being employed that the Patriots would “burn some money” in free company. He later amended his remarks to say the Patriots would spend correctly. Mayo additionally made headlines by calling the Patriots “a mushy soccer staff throughout the board” following a sixth straight loss in October, which he clarified the subsequent day to say the staff was “taking part in mushy.”
Mayo, who was extra talkative with the media than Belichick, acknowledged a number of occasions over the 12 months that he would make errors as a first-year coach and deliberate to study from them. He described his teaching model as rooted in “growing folks” whereas noting “my calling is to be a instructor and assist them see what they do not wish to see however have to see.”
The Patriots have not received a playoff sport since their 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Tremendous Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019.
