TRANSCRIPT: Jerod Mayo’s Interview on WEEI 11/4
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Here’s what Jerod Mayo had to say during his weekly appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Monday, November 4, 2024.
The drains were flowing a little bit three heading into the end of that football game. You get it to overtime, you don’t come away with the win?
“Yeah, that’s disappointing. At the same time, I thought we… There were multiple situations that came up in the game, first half and second half that I thought we executed well on. Going into overtime, I felt good about our chances. Just didn’t pull it out.”
Drake Maye ends up being responsible arm and legs for 301 of your 315 total yards on offense. I think he’s your lead rusher for three out of four games. You feel like you got to find a way to get that run game going to help him out a little bit?
“Yeah, absolutely. My son last night like, ‘Dad, what’s wrong with the run game?’ For me, it always starts up front. We talk about the mentality and things like that. And us, as coaches, we’re in the solution business, and we just got to find out a way to get Rhamondre [Stevenson] and Gibby [Antonio Gibson] and [JaMycal] Hasty, those guys, an opportunity. Because we can say whatever we want. We couldn’t get those guys started. In the first half, we were under one yard a carry. In the second half, we still were under one yard a carry. So we just have to do a better job.”
When you sent Drake Maye the memo, did you bold that he needs to slide? Because I don’t know if he got the message.
“Look, this guy, he’s a competitor. He’s also a rookie, and he’s trying to make plays. He’s trying to do what he thinks is best to help the team win. And I appreciate that. At the same time, we have to make sure that he’s protecting himself.”
Being a rookie, though, and being able to continue in the way in which he likes to play the game, him saying after the game, ‘I’m not going to change the way in which I play,’ even though I went out into concussion protocol, does that speak to him being young, or is that just a guy who’s going to play the game of football the way in which he wants to play it and not be worried about any type of injury or anything that could come his way?
“He’s a competitor. He’s a competitor. And I think as he continues to progress, he’ll second guess some of those hits that he’s taken. But at this time, he just wants to help the team win. And I appreciate that.”
Jerod, one of the things that I noticed yesterday is that you were very upset about another penalty. You’re like middle of the pack. Through the first four weeks of the season, you guys were in the top five. What’s going on with it seems like consistently just sloppy, stupid penalties? And at one point, like I said, it was a point where you were upset. What do you think the issue is that you’re still having these penalty issues?
“I don’t necessarily agree with all the penalties that are called. I’m saying that for the NFL, I am not criticizing the referee. You weren’t called. But what I will say, I thought… We talk about the referee crew the night before every game. We knew that this was a high penalty calling them crew. The Titans had more penalties than we did. I would say, even on the Polk holding call, I thought that was a little bit soft, but they called it. Even the Polk not being set, that’s on the quarterback. And again, the quarterback has to make sure everyone’s set. But those are the little things, the growing pains that we continue to go through, but we just have to be better.”
Jerod, the final play of regulation, unbelievable extension of the play by Drake Maye. And then the extra point. What was the thought process of not going for two and how was that executed? Is it you’re saying on the splitter, ‘We’re going for the extra point.’ Is there a conversation while the drive is unfolding? Should you score, we have a two-point play ready to go. How did that all unfold?
“We always stay ahead of the game. And that conversation happened long before the 12-second play. And again, I thought that was the best thing to do for our team. And honestly, either way, unless you execute the play, you’ll be criticized. We go for two and we don’t get it a couple of games ago, and this time we kick the extra point. And I felt good. I felt like that was the right thing to do. So it’s not like I’m stuck any way. I think it was a combination of things that go into that decision. And ultimately, it’s my decision. That’s what I decided to do.”
Jerod, it’s interesting you say that because we, as fans, we’re playing the Madden game. ‘Go for two, go for two.’ But you’re playing the game in reality of, ‘By kicking the extra point gives us the best chance of winning this football game.’ I know we talked about this statistically. And I feel like it’s proven on paper that kicking the extra point gives you the better chance of going into overtime if you can win the toss. Is that the mindset that you had? Like, this gives us the best chance we’re not playing some fantasy football here?
But you just said the ifs. I mean, you have to win the toss. I mean, the odds-
Right.
“Well, we didn’t win the toss.”
Right. Do you get analytics on that, or are you making …
“We always look at analytics, and I would say we also have discussions in that time of peace, and that time of peace being in a room with the coordinators going through multiple situations. Then you get into the game, you have to remember the things that you talked about, also taking into account the flow of the game and what’s actually going on. I think a lot of people think when you say analytics, that coaches are just sitting there with a book and it’s like, ‘Well, this is 55%. This is what we should do.’ No. Like the weather, analytics, It doesn’t take the weather into account. It doesn’t take the flow of the game into account. I think there are so many different variables that you have to go through. I will say this as a staff, I thought we had a play ready to go. I thought we stayed ahead of the game. For me, as I’m the head coach, I can’t ask for anything more from my staff.”
Is there a belief, though, that as a former player, going for it there is saying, ‘I believe in you, Drake. I believe in this offense.’ I’m going to lose, win or lose with these guys with one play from the three-yard line?
“I think Drake will tell you it’s not about just Drake. It’s about what’s best for the team, and that’s how I look at it.”
Going back to just Drake, though, his turnovers, do you put that on him being so young, or is that something that he just needs to work on? It’s a Drake problem, not a rookie problem.
“No. Look, he’s trying to make plays out there. And that comes with it. It’s the same thing when we talked about guys breaking tackles and having issues holding onto the ball. You love a guy that breaks tackles, but at the same time, you’re more susceptible to those type of plays. And look, I’m not going to try to change the way he plays. I look forward to seeing the way he continues to develop. And in saying that I’m sure the turnovers and things like that will become less and less. And I’m excited about that.”
Do you think that you’ll see moving forward with his ability, he’s proving that he can run, you say the running game has kind of stumbled a little bit, maybe adding him into that as far as more of a design runs for him to maybe confuse the defense a little bit?
“Look, that’s a great point. And again, I would say it’s easy to sit in here and say that, yet at the same time, we have a guy freshly out of the protocol that we’re just sitting here telling them to run out of bounds and slide, but then we’ll put in quarterback design runs. It’s a tough conversation.”
On the protocol, so did he have a concussion or is the protocol also for seeing if you did or if you didn’t? Does that make sense? Do we know that he indeed had a concussion?
“That made no sense to me.”
So…
“You asked me, did it make sense? And it doesn’t. I will say this…”
So did he get a concussion?
“Listen, this is what I would say. The NFL called down. He was put in a concussion protocol. He cleared the concussion protocol and played for us.”
So we don’t know if he had a concussion or not?
“He was in the concussion protocol. That’s the question for, I guess, the league.”
Yeah.
So the team doesn’t know if he has a concussion?
“He was in concussion protocol. I’m not going to keep going back and forth on this.”
No, I’m just curious because it was quick. I didn’t know that he was going to be in there. So if he didn’t indeed have one, it would make more sense.
“They put a spotter, an NFL spotter, called down. They said, ‘All right, we believe he may have a concussion.’ They placed him in the concussion protocol. He cleared those hurdles and was able to play. Those guys are way smarter than me as far as concussions are concerned. So I don’t know.”
Wiggy is our concussion expert.
He’s had a few.
“I think it’s all…they’re all different.”
Yeah. It’s hard to say because you see-
“Have you had one?”
Probably like you I’ve had multiple.
“Don’t put me in that bucket.”
I don’t know. I guess the independent doctor. I guess it’s so difficult because now when we, or at least When I played, like I said, I can’t really talk when you played. But when I played, there wasn’t this independent doctor. It was more of like, ‘Oh, I’m good.’
Self diagnosis.
And then where now it’s completely taken out of your hand.
“That’s right.”
And so even if he passes during the game, then it’s up to the team to make the decision on whether or not we want to put him back in there. Is that how it works?
“No, if he passes, if we think he gives us the best chance to win, and they clear him on the field, he’s going right back in.”
Okay.
Jacoby Brissett keeps trying to put him back in there.
Does your week change at all this week with the trade deadline tomorrow? You guys talk about plans a lot. What is the plan going into tomorrow’s trade deadline?
“I think first, look, this isn’t baseball. In baseball, you have big-name players going to other teams. I would say, historically, even as a player and now as a coach, the trade deadline is a bunch of hype. It’s a bunch of hype. Who’s going to move a starting quarterback to another team right now? Who’s going to move a starting left tackle? I mean, it rarely happens.”
Jerod, you had that situation at halftime, and we were talking about this. It was second and one, and we’re always trying to figure out the input and everything.
“Second and one and third and one, you got to be able to pick up a first.”
Right. Well, I guess the question I’m asking is at that second and one point, do you jump on the headset and say, ‘Hey, let’s maybe take a shot here. We want to get some points,’ or are you just letting Alex do what you think is best that he can do for the offense?
“Whatever units out there on the field, I’m on that channel. And I let Alex know what I want to do. Sometimes we have conversations, and again, we try to stay ahead of the game, and we talk through those. But again, I would say ultimately, it’s my choice.”
Hellmann’s Mayo, question of the week for Jerod Mayo. You can purchase Hellmann’s at your local Walmart or grocery store to add extra deliciousness and creamy flavor to your game day dishes this football season. This is from the Subaru of New England text line. I’ll sum it up. Another great return on the punt yesterday. And how important is that from a motivation point of a view for this football team?
“It’s huge. It’s huge. And we challenged the special teams unit to go out there and make plays, and they did. Marcus is doing a heck of a job. I think he’s leading the league in punt return average. And it’s not just him, it’s the guys that are out there blocking for him.”
All right. It works for me.
All right, Coach. On to Chicago.
“Now we got to wrap this up. We got to wrap up Tennessee, make some corrections, and then we’ll be… It’s about New England. It’s about the Patriots today, and then tomorrow we’ll move on.”
How How much did you look at Caleb Williams? Obviously, everybody kind of assumed he was going to go number one.
“When you clapped your hand, I thought I was about to be over.”
Well, I was just curious. I’m curious about your thoughts on Caleb Williams.
It’s like what the police do. It’s bonus time.
“Caleb Williams coming out, I think we all agree he’s one of those guys that can make all the throws, extend plays, and can make spectacular plays. They’ll be a challenge for us.”
Davon Godchaux called Drick Maye, Josh Allen, 2.0. Do you agree with that assessment, kind of comp-wise?
“I call him Drak Maye, 1.0. I don’t want to get into comparisons of … Josh Allen is a multi-year Pro Bowl quarterback, and we’re here at the beginning stages of a developing quarterback that I think we’re all excited about.”
All right. Great. Thanks. Thanks, Coach.
(Editor’s Note: This transcript is done via the available footage and is subject to typos. If you spot something, please take a moment to let me know in the comments below.)
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