The New England Patriots have fired coach Jerod Mayo, ending his lone season at 4-13. The decision was announced shortly after the team’s win over the Buffalo Bills, which marked their 23rd loss of the season.
Owner Robert Kraft had initially backed Mayo, but struggled to see the progress he wanted from the young team, which included rookie quarterback Drake Maye. Despite a strong start to the season with a win against Cincinnati, the Patriots lost their next six games before winning two of their next three.
Kraft had high hopes for Mayo, who was hired as the franchise’s first Black head coach at age 37. However, the team struggled on both offense and defense, ranking near the bottom of the NFL in those areas. Players praised Mayo’s efforts, but ultimately, Kraft felt that he didn’t ascend to the level he had envisioned.
The move marks another reboot for the Patriots, who parted ways with longtime coach Bill Belichick just a year ago. The team may look to another former Patriots linebacker, Mike Vrabel, as their next head coach.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/patriots-jerod-mayo-fired-4bc43a1ee8671179e58e46dfdc5126dc