FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In a stunning flip, Jerod Mayo is out after one yr as head coach of the New England Patriots, the workforce introduced Sunday.
The Patriots completed the 2024 season with a 4-13 file. 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 selections 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 carried out 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 might lose him and dedicated to creating him our subsequent head coach. Winning our season-opener on the highway at Cincinnati solely strengthened my convictions. Unfortunately, the trajectory of our workforce’s performances all through the season didn’t ascend as I had hoped.”
“Since shopping for the workforce, I’ve all the time thought of myself and my household as custodians of a public asset. We have super followers who count on and deserve a greater product than we’ve got delivered in recent times. 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 competition and decided this transfer was the best choice right now.”
“I’m grateful for Jerod’s many contributions to the New England Patriots all through his profession and can all the time be rooting for his success. I admire all his laborious work and hope the experiences gained will assist him sooner or later, as I nonetheless consider he will likely be a profitable head coach on this league. I want Jerod and his household nothing however success sooner or later.”
The Patriots gained Mayo’s final sport as coach, a 23-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills that dropped New England from choosing No. 1 within the 2025 draft to No. 4, as an alternative.
Robert Kraft and workforce 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 yr tied with the Carolina Panthers for the lowest projected win total — 4.5 — so the choice to maneuver on from Mayo displays how Kraft seen the workforce’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 final decade, Mayo joins Frank Reich (Panthers, 2023), Nathaniel Hackett (Denver Broncos, 2022), Lovie Smith (Houston Texans, 2022), David Culley (Texans, 2021), Urban 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 Bill Belichick, with Kraft citing his knack for connecting with a youthful era of gamers. Mayo performed linebacker for the Patriots from 2008-2015, served as an govt 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 2019-2023.
In 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 may lose Mayo, so in 2023, he inserted language into his contract that might make him Belichick’s successor. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell later referred to as the succession clause “sensible administration.”
One of the highest disappointments of Mayo’s one-year tenure was the protection, contemplating that was his experience as a former 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 response to ESPN Research.
He additionally walked again a number of feedback over the yr, 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 delicate soccer throughout the board” following a sixth straight loss in October, which he clarified the following day to say the workforce was “enjoying delicate.”
Mayo, who was extra talkative with the media than Belichick, acknowledged a number of instances over the yr that he would make errors as a first-year coach and deliberate to study from them. He described his teaching model as rooted in “creating individuals” whereas noting “my calling is to be a trainer and assist them see what they do not wish to see however must see.”
The Patriots have not gained a playoff sport since their 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019.
