Mayo Fired
Jerod Mayo was relieved as head Coach of the Patriots by Robert Kraft 90 minutes after the Patriots won their final game versus the Buffalo Bills. In his press conference yesterday Kraft said, “this whole situation is on me.” “It was on me it just made me feel we weren’t going in the right direction,” he said. “I don’t want to go through this next year. We’re going to do what we’ve got to do to fix it.”
When asked about when he made this decision Kraft stated that when he makes a big business decision “he measures 9 times and cuts once.” It was a month-long give and take, but ultimately, the team didn’t progress.
Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald had a very good article yesterday. He posted on X “Patriots players publicly stated their support for Jerod Mayo, but team sources have described a poor culture with a lack of leadership that can make demanding and decisive decisions.” Mayo was a “Players Coach”. He was a softer more gentile coach. Mayo went out of his way to give game balls after the victory over the Bears to two new fathers, Jahlani Tavai and Joey Slye. In his speech in the locker room, Mayo mentioned the newborns by name. I thought that was a great thing to do. But ultimately, he fostered a bad culture in the locker room. The players always supported him and then after the season, the players wouldn’t respond to the media attempt for interviews. The Bad Culture included a lack of leadership in the locker room. At the end of the season, the players took on the fans with Jahlani Tavai stating the fans should know their place. Deatrich Wise called the fans spoiled (which they are).
One of Mayo’s principles he outlined in his opening press conference was accountability. That was just a false statement and saying what the fans wanted to here. He had no accountability all year. Rhamondre Stevenson fumbles in 4 straight games and there is no accountability for his actions. Yeah, Antonio Gibson started the next game but both players had 28 plays. Vederian Lowe had several procedure penalties for not being on the line of scrimmage. No accountability. They made the same mistakes week after week.
Kraft stated that he put Jerod Mayo into a bad situation and that he was not ready to be a Head Coach. That became obvious during the season with the bad press conferences and in-game decisions that Mayo blew. Robert Kraft built that contract language and inserted it into his Assistant Coach contract which would make Mayo the successor to Bill Belichick. Mayo had no Head Coaching experience. Kraft was making this decision strictly on the fact that he had a personal relationship with Mayo. They took a trip t the Holy Land together and that is where Kraft found out about the man that Jerod Mayo is. No one is saying that Jerod Mayo is a bad person or unlikable. Just the opposite, he was very personable. Treated the media with respect and a genuine nice guy. His fault was that he was too nice. The Head Coach can’t be the player’s buddy. He is the boss and the disciplinarian.
The remainder of the Coaching Staff have not yet been fired. I reported that Alex Van Pelt was fired along with Mayo, based upon a report from Boston Globe’s Ben Volin. That was false. Kraft, when asked by the media yesterday, stated that none of the coaching staff or Personnel department have been let go. However, a new Head Coach will be allowed to bring in his own staff, so their jobs are in jeopardy.
Kraft stated when asked about who will be in the interviews, that Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith will be part of the interview along with Jonathan Kraft. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Robyn Glaser as part of the interview group as well. This indicates that Eliot Wolf is not going anywhere. Kraft went out of his way to mention that Wolf has initiated a new grading system during the college player evaluations. There is College All Star games, the combine and Free Agency coming up soon. Last year, the evaluations were done by the time Wolf was elevated to Director of Play Personnel. Those were under the Belichick evaluation system. Let’s see if Wolf can make a rebound and have a better draft, The 2024 overall draft was very bad outside of Drake Maye. I won’t give Wolf credit for taking Maye. Usually, GMs are not replaced until after the draft. Are you satisfied with Eliot Wolf? Do you trust him acquiring Free Agent talent with the $132M in cap space the Patriots have? I don’t.
It was reported by Tom Pellisero of NFL Network that the Patriots have already interviewed Byron Leftwich, former Tampa Bay Offensive Coordinator, as well as Pep Hamilton, the former Offensive Coordinator of the Houston Texans. If this is true, the Patriots have already satisfied the NFL’s “Rooney Rule” aimed at giving minority candidates an opportunity at advancement. The Patriots requested and received permission to interview Detroit Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson. Detroit gave him a three-day window to conduct Zoom virtual Interviews from Thursday through Saturday. Jacksonville also has received permission to interview him.
Johnson indicated the Bears, as well as the Patriots, are at the top of his list. Finally, there is the leader in the clubhouse in former Titans Head Coach and member of the Patriots Hall of Fame Mike Vrabel. Reports have surfaced that Vrabel will interview on Thursday. It’s possible a new head coach could be named by the weekend. Kraft is not wasting any time. It has also been reported that former patriots defensive coach Brian Flores is interested in the job.
Is it Time for Robert Kraft to Step Down
The selection of Jerod Mayo as Head Coach was a personal one for Bob Kraft. He let his emotions and his friendship with Mayo cloud his judgement. Mayo was not qualified to be Head Coach. I believe it is time for Robert Kraft to relinquish control of the Patriots to his son and confidant Jonathan.
All of the other major Kraft family businesses are being managed by Jonathan. Robert is nearing 84 years old this June. Transfer control of the team and remain the fan that you have always been. Don’t make another irrational selection of a head coach based upon your personal feelings. This is not to say that Mike Vrabel is not the most qualified candidate. Make it a legitimate process and select the best candidate available.
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
Towards the end BB had lost his fastball. I think Kraft also has lost his. There is nothing wrong with choosing a person for a position based upon their character and who they are as a person as you understand you are hiring them not for what they currently are but for what and who they can become. But, you need to give that high character with potential novice time to learn and grow. That is the biggest Kraft mistake.