New England Patriots Fire Head Coach Jerod Mayo After 1 Season

Jerod Mayo as linebacker coach for New England Patriots in 2021
Jerod Mayo during his time as linebacker coach for the New England Patriots in 2021. Photo by Anthony Nesmith/CSM/Shutterstock (12241344bg)

The New England Patriots fired their head coach, Jerod Mayo, on Sunday. Mayo leaves the team after one season in which he led the Pats to 4-13.

PatsPats’ owner Robert Kraft said in a statement released by the team that firing Mayo was “one of the hardest decisions” he ever made but that he believed it was the best option for his efforts to bring the franchise back to championship contention.

“I am grateful for Jerod’s many contributions to the New England Patriots throughout his career and will always be rooting for his success,“ Kraft said. “I appreciate all his hard work and hope the experiences gained will help him in the future, as I still believe he will be a successful head coach in this league. I wish Jerod and his family nothing but success in the future.”

Jerod Mayo spent his entire professional career as a linebacker for the Patriots before retiring in 2015. He re-joined the team as inside linebackers coach under Bill Belichick in 2019 and quickly gained praise for his ability to connect with players. Mayo’s reputation spread around the league, and he gained consideration for various head coaching gigs after the 2022 campaign.

Kraft would go on to sign Mayo to an extension in 2023 and insert a clause in his deal that would make him the head coach when Belichick left New England. This clause came into effect just one year later, as the Pats and Belichick parted ways and Mayo was named his successor.

However, Mayo struggled in his new role. He was criticized for clock management and various other in-game decisions that hurt his team on the field. Additionally, did poorly with the media, often offering vague and contradicting answers.

It is also true that the Pats did little to set him up for success. He had one of the worst rosters talent-wise in the league, with the front office failing to be aggressive in the free agency and having a lukewarm 2024 NFL Draft class.

The Patriots will now enter a proper head-coaching search, with Patriots Hall of Fame member and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel considered the favorite.