TRANSCRIPT: Jerod Mayo on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show 12/2
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Here’s what New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo had to say on Monday during his appearance on The Greg Hill Show on WEEI.
Greg Hill: Hey, Coach. Great discussion during the break, by the way. Wiggy expected that you would walk in here and be on his side.
Jermaine Wiggins: I didn’t expect that.
Greg Hill: …When it comes to planting the flag …
Chris Curtis: Right again.
Greg Hill: … And you are not. You believe that …
“Yeah, if you’re an underdog and you win on the road in a rivalry game, what’s wrong with that? What’s wrong with planting the flag?”
Jermaine Wiggins: So let’s just change all rivalry games to ‘Plant the flag game.’ Whoever wins can plant the flag.
“You’re missing the point.”
Jermaine Wiggins: I’m not missing the point. What’s the point?
“The point is, if you’re an underdog on the road in a rivalry game, it’s a big deal.”
Jermaine Wiggins: Yeah, and have some class win with class.
“The classless part is punching someone with a helmet.”
Jermaine Wiggins: No, no.
Courtney Cox: Thank you.
Jermaine Wiggins: The classless part is going up to the middle of the field and planting your flag. You won. Take your ‘W’ like a man and have some respect for your …
“Take your ‘W’ like a man?”
Chris Curtis: Go to your locker room and lose. And don’t go on the field.
Jermaine Wiggins: No.
“Let’s talk about the Patriots.”
Jermaine Wiggins: Because you know what’s going to lead. Jerod, you know better than anything I do. You know what that leads to? Fist getting thrown.
“Yeah. With helmets and shoulder… Who’s really getting hurt? The person throwing the punch is probably going to get hurt before the person with the helmet on.”
Jermaine Wiggins: Not everybody. Sometimes a helmet gets pulled off.
“Well, there you go.”
Jermaine Wiggins: Somebody’s got a black eye.
“Have you had a black eye during the game?”
Jermaine Wiggins: No, I haven’t.
“Has anyone ever tried you like that and like punched you dead in your eye?”
Jermaine Wiggins: No, no one’s ever tried.
“Exactly. I hope the questions are about football today.”
Jermaine Wiggins: No one’s ever tried.
Greg Hill: He’s trying to take you right out.
“Here we go. Let’s do it.”
Greg Hill: Well, listen, in that game till the end, I think we were talking about it before you came. And really, from our perspective, the outside perspective, it’s being, again, in scoring position and you got penalties and you’re unable to convert.
“To me, the game came down to red area. Defensively, we’re poor. Offensively, we’re poor in a red area. We walk away with no points on the field goal. And we just have to execute… That is the NFL. And this is what I continue to try to tell the guys. This is the NFL. We’ve been in seven one-score games. Seven one-score games. And we have to find a way to get over the hump and win those games. And I got to do a better job.”
Greg Hill: And you say you have to do a better job. You got to get… When you look at the situation penalty-wise and these guys holding, is there anything? I mean, is that a just a pure disadvantaged talent-wise, and that’s their only option? Is that coaching?
“I’m not going to get into that. What I will say is the week prior, it was the operational pre-snap penalties, which are just totally focused concentration type of penalties. We’re in the NFL, like there will be times where it’s holding or someone’s out there with poor technique and it’s passing the fairness, like on the pass play to Jahlani. Look, the first time we had this crew was the first Miami game, and there were 10 holding calls between the two teams. So we went into the game knowing, these refs, they’re going to call holding. And that’s the most frustrating part for me, because once it does happen, it’s like, All right, let’s fix it. Obviously, you can call them ticky-tack or not ticky-tack. We need to be able to adjust in the game and do business as business is being done.”
Jermaine Wiggins: When you say do a better job, especially in the red zone, do you think it’s more about play selection? Maybe being ..I don’t want to use the word aggressive, but just maybe play selection when it comes to offensively and having that many opportunities, or is it more about ‘We had the right play on, but it was poor execution by the players?’
“Look, to me, it’s everyone. We can say play selection, we can say execution. The field gets shorter, as you know, the lower you get down. So now that safety that was in the middle of the field, you were able to take him out of the game. He’s now part of the game, both in the run game and the pass game. And we have to get a hat on a hat and score touchdowns. And we just weren’t able to do that. And I would say defensively, we weren’t able to stop them.”
Courtney Cox: Positives-wise, I would say the biggest positive was your total yards on offense, 422, the most since 2022, I believe, for you guys. Is that Drake Maye in his ability to just get the ball out there but also take off with his legs? And is that AVP making sure that Drake is improving every week?
“Yeah, I would say a combination of the two. I think Drake’s getting better every week. I talk about him not being a repeat error guy. I would also say, just as we sit up here and when we’re not able to run the ball, we say, ‘Well, it starts up front.’ Now we run the ball for 200 yards, and it starts up front. And I would say that Layden [Robinson], was it perfect? No. But he went out there and played his tail off and had some big blocks for us. And that’s part of it. And I know, look, we all want to sit here and… Look, Drake is a good player, and he will be a good player. He’ll get better as we go on. But there are other young players that have to take those steps. And I would say Layden took a step. Now, hopefully, we can continue on that trajectory going forward.”
Chris Curtis: You had said after the game that you thought about calling a timeout before the two-point conversion or even on that drive, the 19-play drive by the Colts.
“If we would have taken… When I went back and watched it, and this was part of the conversation, too. If we would have taken our timeouts on that final drive, we would have got the ball back with… It was a seven-play drive or something like that. We would have gotten the ball back with five seconds and no timeouts. And so it did give us an opportunity to, at the end of the game, still have a chance.”
Chris Curtis: So I think you’ve done a great job of being your own man. And it’s something that we’ve credited you for, that a lot of people have followed certain coaches, and then they try to be that person. It was frustrating for me to hear you cite the Super Bowl and the Seahawks.
“Yeah, I shouldn’t have done that. You’re right. And look, I probably shouldn’t… When I said it, I was frustrated, first of all, which I should have taken a deep breath. I should not have said that. I should not have said it.”
Jermaine Wiggins: Neutralized. Bam.
“Hey, he did not He didn’t expect me to say, ‘You know what, guys? You know what, guys? I should not have said it.'”
Greg Hill: You figured him out.
“I shouldn’t have said it. Then you’re like… It was like, I saw smoke coming out your ears. Look, I shouldn’t have said it. I shouldn’t have said it. And we all make mistakes.”
Chris Curtis: Honestly, I have not had anybody agree with me in five years.
“That’s not true. We just agreed on that planting of the flag. Two times in a day.”
Jermaine Wiggins: Well, at least we got some insight on … Because our biggest conversation was the reason why you didn’t call your timeouts. And part of our conversation was the fact that we felt like you wanted to have enough time offensively, which you did and put yourself in a position that would have been a history-making field goal.
“Yeah, but I would also say, Joey [Slye], I know he missed a short field goal during the game, but pregame is always big, especially with specialists. And he was booming them in pregame, and I felt like that gave us the best scenario. I think since 2014, I think it’s one in eleven as far as kicks like that. Same thing with Hail Mary’s. Was it one out of twelve, one out of ten? I don’t know. I just felt like that was the best thing to do.”
Courtney Cox: That short pass for Drake, you guys were hoping to get a little bit closer than 67 yards out.
“Yeah, that’s why we ran it. You run the slants because they’re playing off. You run the slants. And I thought Hunter [Henry] and the quarterback did a good job getting the ball out and getting down. That’s part of situations that we go over every day.”
Greg Hill: Speaking of Hunter Henry, how is there not a helmet-to-helmet when it comes to …
“I asked the referee about that, and he said it wasn’t helmet to helmet. His crews didn’t …”
Greg Hill: Line up exactly?
“It didn’t line up exactly. Like a transformer. Like, ‘All right, penalty.'”
Greg Hill: I realized he wasn’t defenseless, but it still …
“That’s right, he was a runner.”
Greg Hill: But it’s still helmet to helmet.
“It’s a bang, bang play.”
Chris Curtis: If we’re going to talk about penalties. I mean, Christian Barmore after the game, the two-point conversion try. I mean, if you do say that this is a crew that calls a lot of holding, there was a pretty obvious one in the biggest play of the game.
“I thought so, too. But I’m not going to get fined being on this show talking about it.”
Greg Hill: We’ll pay it for you.
“Help us out, Hellmann’s. Will Hellmann’s pay for it?”
Greg Hill: Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. I can make that commitment. Going forward, Hellmann’s will pay all of your fines.
“You said it and it’s recorded.”
Greg Hill: Or we’ll get Land Rover of Norway.
“I love referees. But really, they’re in a difficult position, too, especially as it comes down to the end of games like that.”
Greg Hill: Listen, you won the challenge. I mean, went your way. So I …
“The other one. Now, go ahead and bring up the other one that I could have challenged on the drive. We’ve been together way too long at this point. I know exactly what you guys are doing.”
Greg Hill: You know what we’re going to ask? All right.
“But on that play, I didn’t get a clear shot of it. On that one that I know some people think I should have challenged. I didn’t get a clear shot of it. And I would say, the 49ers, we lost that challenge. Last week, we lost that challenge. And I would say this guy had his hands under the ball more than those guys did.”
Greg Hill: Yeah.
Courtney Cox: Jabrill Peppers playing in the game. When did you guys make that decision that he was going to not only be back in practice, but be playing in the game?
“We just had to see what he looked like in practice. And again, he came off the commissioners’ exempt list and he was ready to go.”
Chris Curtis: And I feel like watching that, my first reaction immediately after the game was the Colts’ approach is what we have been longing for for this team, which is balls to the wall, go for two, whether it was the Titans game or otherwise. I feel like that is what… I don’t know if we’ll go back in time here, but I feel like a lot of Patriots observers want that from you, which is, let’s try and win every game. If we lose, whatever. We’re all trying to get better.
“Yeah, I’m always… Look, I will say, we talk about the one-score games. Once you start going for it on every fourth down or going for two here, that’s when you get those real blowouts. And so what I would say is I’m trying to do the best job that I can with the team that we have right now. And that’s through taking care of the football, going out there, playing with good fundamentals. And I understand the frustration of ‘go for two, don’t go for two.’ I understand it 100%. But at the same time, I’m coaching this team here in the present, and also we’re trying to build a foundation going forward.”
Greg Hill: Well, yeah, our guy, [Chris] Scheim, back at the station, had some coaching critiques this morning, Scheim. I don’t know if you want to bring any of those up.
“No, it’s fine. I mean, look, that’s what the game is. And these questions that come up are symptoms of losing. They’re symptoms of losing football. If we would have won the game, then the critiques would have probably been a little bit different.”
Chris Curtis: I just have a question for general knowledge. Who is your Ernie Adams in-game?
Greg Hill: You just stole my Hellmann’s question of the week right out from under.
Chris Curtis: How would I have known…?
Greg Hill: Let me tease it. 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. And not only is …
“Lack of communication.”
Chris Curtis: We had to blow a timeout here.
Greg Hill: Not only is Curtis asking, but Boomer Esiason was asking this morning who you’re on headsets with.
“I’m on the headsets with all the coaches. Look, I don’t want to get into comparisons about Ernie or anything like that, but I do have a channel that I go to with Evan, and we have a conversation. And ultimately, it’s my decision. And so all the coaching critiques should go to me and not anyone else. All of those plays ‘go for two, not go for two.’ That’s all 100% me.”
Jermaine Wiggins: Jerod, when you’re in that last situation, right? Because as I’m watching …
“Can I ask a question?”
Jermaine Wiggins: Go ahead, you can ask whatever you need.
“Look, losing stinks, regardless. If we were losing games by, let’s just say, 21 points a game versus being in the games at the end. And I understand we’ve lost those games. Which is better? It’s losing football.”
Greg Hill: Yeah. So you’re saying neither, it doesn’t matter?
“No. What I’m saying is we have to be able to control the ball. We have to go out there and play fundamentally sound. And I’m not going to say conservative or anything like that, but you’re coaching and also playing to have a chance at the end of the game. Because we know the one-score games, that’s what the NFL is.”
Chris Curtis: Well, it’s also probably you don’t have the track meet offense where if you’re down 10, 15 points in the second half, it’s not a team that likely is going to come back.
“I’m just saying.”
Chris Curtis: In other words.
“No, no, no.”
Greg Hill: You’ve gotten better at not answering this.
“No, for sure. For sure. And I’ve learned not to talk about hypotheticals, do you wish to …”
Chris Curtis: Somebody get Stacey [James] out of here.
“But my thing is, going back, let’s go back. Even the two-part conversion.”
Greg Hill: No, I think …
“Hold on, let me get finish.”
Greg Hill: Okay, go ahead. I’m going to tell you why it’s frustrating for fans. But go ahead.
“Go ahead, tell me.”
Greg Hill: No, I want you to finish.
“No, it doesn’t really …”
Greg Hill: No, I think it’s frustrating because you are in these games. And short of penalties, you would win these football games. And that’s got to be really frustrating for you as well.
“It is very frustrating. And look, we’re doing everything we can to try to get better. And look, we have a bye week. We’re going to do a lot of reflecting and things like that. We’ll practice a couple of days and hopefully try to string some games together.”
Greg Hill: Yeah.
Jermaine Wiggins: Well, here’s no hypothetical. Just take me through, and the fans. First and goal, it’s Colts run, run, run, and now it’s the fourth and goal situation. The mindset of what defensive play call, is there a call to maybe put pressure on them, or are you expecting another run? What’s the whole mindset when they run basically first and goal, now it’s a fourth down situation defensively to be a little bit more aggressive or maybe to play a little bit more zone coverage?
“No, it’s a good question. I would say before we even get to that point, they converted three fourth-down conversions on that drive. Look, we make any one of those plays and the game has changed. And then earlier in the show, we talked about the Barmore situation. And so it comes back to defeating the person across from you and making the play, and we just didn’t do that.”
Greg Hill: All right. How was Thanksgiving?
“It was good. It’s always good to be around family. And look, I’m thankful for a lot of things. I said it. I’m thankful for the opportunities to coach this football team. I’m thankful to be here with you guys. I mean, I could be doing something else and I’d rather be here with you guys.”
Greg Hill: Yeah, well, we appreciate it.
“Sponsored by Hellman’s Mayo.”
Greg Hill: Brought to you by Hellman’s.
“But what I will say is, look, we will get better. We will get better. We feel like we have a good piece at the quarterback position, and now it’s about just getting better and putting a better product out there for the fans. They deserve more.”
Greg Hill: That run he had yesterday, it’s exciting. I mean, he’s really, really good.
“You used to do that in high school?”
Greg Hill: Yeah, I did. If I got off the bench.
Courtney Cox: In his dreams.
Chris Curtis: He was actually running after Hellman’s.
“There you go.”
Greg Hill: I know you’re probably going to tell me you don’t get ahead of yourself. But when you look toward, we’ve talked a lot with you about the roster, when you look toward what this team needs, is there an area that you say is your number one focus? Is it offensive line? Is it getting him the weapons? Because I know you think about it.
“Yeah, I do think about it. And I would also say that’s part of this week for me. As much as you want to go on a beach and chill out, we just don’t have time to do that from a coaching or from a scouting perspective. And so this time is for us to reflect and address those questions that you just had.”
Jermaine Wiggins: And, Jerod, last one for me, because you had said you’re constantly learning and you’re constantly trying to grow as a coach. What are the things that you look at and you go, ‘All right, maybe I shouldn’t say this,’ or ‘Sometimes I get frustrated and I say this.’ When you start to reflect it, are you working your way through? Because a lot of it is media-related. So it was a lot of the stuff that you’re working your way through saying, ‘I got to approach things differently because sometimes I may say something that I believe, but it gets taken out of context.’
“Yeah, my main concern has always been the guys in that locker room. Now, look, you guys can take comments that I’ve said and make them look like whatever you want. But to me, most Kingdoms are taken down within. And my job is for us not to be divisive, but to come together, especially when there’s so much noise and chatter on the outside.”
Courtney Cox: Were you able to watch that Jaguars game and the Trevor Lawrence hit?
“Yeah, it was unfortunate. Any time you see a guy go into that type of posture, it’s always a scary moment for everyone. So thoughts and prayers out to Trevor and his family and the team.”
Greg Hill: What? Sorry.
“You’re over here looking at pictures of Rob Ninkovich.”
Greg Hill: Well, Rob Ninkovich wants to know who’s nosewhistling on the microphone, me, you, or Wiggy?
“It’s not me for sure.”
Jermaine Wiggins: Probably me. I got a little bit of a runny nose for some reason, and I can’t catch it. I can’t catch it, Rob. I’m trying to put my mic up when I have …
Courtney Cox: It’s a little red, too, your nose.
“Ninko, just get a job. I don’t.”
Greg Hill: Do you have one for him? I don’t have one for him. You don’t have? Has he been asking?
“My focus is with the staff we have right now.”
Greg Hill: How’s it been to work with …
“He’s texting you. He’s listening to us right now and he texted you that.”
Greg Hill: How’s it been to work … The man, he really extended his career far beyond what it should have been.
“Absolutely.”
Greg Hill: Am I right about that?
“I always tell guys…”
Greg Hill: He was like done in Miami or New Orleans …
“The further you get away from your career, the stories you hear about some guys, ‘Oh, this guy was so smart. This guy made all the plays, impact.’ Same with myself. I heard people talk about me. I was like, ‘I was good. I wasn’t that good.'”
Greg Hill: You weren’t that good.
Chris Curtis: Speaking of coaches, how’s [Dont’a] Hightower been? What’s it been like to work with him, the guy that did make all the plays?
“Yeah, I like that. I’m going to chirp you at some point in time. It’s been great. It’s been great. It’s been a great learning experience. I see him going through the same things I went through from a player then having your own room. One of those is, we’re out here to win games, and we’re not out here… We are family. We are friends, but we talk about what family. I can’t fire my daughter or my son or anything like that. But in this world, I think he’s doing a good job, and he’s coaching his tail off.”
Greg Hill: All right, Coach.
“Thank you. Thank you.”
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