The New England Patriots fired head coach Jerrod Mayo on Sunday night, just one season after promoting him to succeed the great Bill Belichick.
Mayo’s firing was announced after New England defeated the Buffalo Bills 23-16 on the final day of the regular season, and the Patriots lost three straight to fall to 4-13.
“After today’s game, I informed Jerod Mayo that I will not be returning as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025,” owner Robert Kraft said in a statement.
“For me personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve known Jerrod for 17 years. He’s been on the field since his rookie year in 2008 and throughout his career. , earned my respect and admiration for his leadership in the locker room and the way he conducted himself in our community.
“When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident when you see how the players responded to him.
“When other teams started requesting interviews with him, I was afraid of losing him and committed to making him our next head coach. We won the season opener on the road at Cincinnati. This further strengthened my belief.”
“Unfortunately, the team’s performance throughout the season did not improve as much as I had expected.”
Mayo previously spent eight seasons as a player with the Patriots, winning the Super Bowl in 2014.
He eventually returned in 2019, joining Belichick’s staff as inside linebackers coach and making the case for being one of the most highly regarded defensive minds in football.
Because of his popularity, he has emerged as a leading candidate to succeed Belichick if his time in Foxboro is over. That moment came in 2023 after the Patriots won six of nine Super Bowls and went 4-13 after leaving Belichick after 24 seasons at the helm.
The 37-year-old started the season as the second-youngest head coach in the NFL behind Seattle’s Mike McDonald.
“We are grateful for Jerrod’s many contributions to the New England Patriots throughout his career and look forward to supporting his continued success,” Kraft added.
“I appreciate all his efforts and I hope the experience gained will help him in the future, because I still believe he will be a successful head coach in this league. We wish Jerod and his family every success in the future.”
Despite a tough season, there have been encouraging signs from rookie quarterback Drake Maye, and the Patriots’ performance should allow him to prioritize other positions in the NFL Draft if he wishes.
New England started the season with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but then lost six straight, including a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, leading coach Mayo to criticize the team by suggesting it played “soft.” Divided the house into two.
Although the Patriots lost in overtime to the Tennessee Titans, they won two of their next three games against the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, before suffering a 40-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. They also suffered a crushing defeat in six games. End of December.
Mayo’s departure comes at a time when Mike Vrabel’s name is once again being mentioned among head coaching candidates across the league, with the former Tennessee Titans head coach having been a player in New England. He has won three Super Bowls.
