After the New England Patriots nearly defeated the Buffalo Bills in Week 16 with their season all but over, discussions of Jerod Mayo's future reignited. And while some believe the first-year coach should get fired following the Patriots' 2024 season, that doesn't appear to be the case, per Ian Rapoport on X.
“The Patriots are still playing hard for Jerod Mayo,” Tom Pelissero said ahead of Monday Night Football. “They showed that yesterday in Buffalo, which would seem to bode well for Mayo getting a second year in New England.”
Adding to Pelissero's report, Rapoport clarified what the Patriots could do with their first-year head coach.
“That's exactly right,” Rapoport added. “Robert and Jonathan Kraft, from my understanding, want Jerod Mayo to come back for a second season. They believe in Jerod Mayo. This was the hand-picked leader of the organization to succeed Bill Belichick, actually, so much so they hand-picked him to be the successor before Belichick's tenure was even done. Remember, he played for them, too.
“There's a lot of love for Jerod Mayo in the building. The Patriots and Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft, specifically, also knew this would be a multi-year process due to this year, just personnel-wise, would be tough. That said, as you sometimes see this time of year, there's going to be a lot of eyeballs on the way that they finish. If it all comes crashing down, if they really collapse, maybe somehow they think differently. The Patriots got a good result this past Sunday, taking the Bills right to the brink. You'd think that, specifically, would show that Jerod Mayo is absolutely kept the attention of his players.”
After the Patriots drafted Mayo with the No. 10 pick in 2008, he spent eight seasons with the team. In those eight seasons, Mayo was named the 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year, got voted into two Pro Bowls, was named an All-Pro, and won a Super Bowl.
Then, in 2019, Mayo would join the Patriots' coaching staff as an inside linebackers coach.
Mayo stayed put in that position until being named head coach in 2024, replacing Belichick after 24 years with the Patriots.
And in his first season, it's gone about as poorly as it could've with the Patriots in contention for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
However, the Krafts apparently expected a poor performance in 2024, giving Mayo a longer leash than some might be given as a head coach.
Now, if the Patriots reach rock bottom before the end of the year, moving on from the first-year head coach could make sense. But, with how this team looks after 16 weeks of the NFL season, it appears Mayo will get another shot.
