'One of the hardest decisions': New England Patriots fire head coach Jerod Mayo after 4-13 NFL season
Jerod Mayo has been fired as New England Patriots fired coach after one season.
Less than 12 months after the NFL franchise parted ways with Bill Belichick after a lengthy tenure at the helm, owner Robert Kraft announced another change was coming.
“After the game I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025," he said.
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"For me, personally, it was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made.
"Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team's performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped.”
Robert Kraft has been the long-time owner of the Patriots. Getty
New England closed its 4-13 season with a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday (AEDT), but it wasn't enough to save Mayo's job.
A former Patriots linebacker who worked as an assistant under Belichick, Mayo started the season with a strong endorsement from Kraft.
But alongside a coaching staff that featured offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and first-time defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington, he struggled to get the most out of a young roster that included rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
The team opened the season with a win at Cincinnati before losing their next six games.
From the beginning of his tenure, Mayo tried to establish a culture that differed from Belichick’s often robotic devotion to football — a move that drew praise from players.
Yet, it didn’t translate into victories for a team that was ranked near the bottom of the NFL offensively and defensively and went 3-6 in one-score games.
Jerod Mayo lasted just one season with Patriots. Getty
After the win over Buffalo and before Mayo's firing was announced, players praised the job he did this season.
“He’s stayed consistent,” cornerback Jonathan Jones said.
“The effort from the guys today showed just how no matter what the situation is, how he can get guys to go out there and fight.”
The 83-year-old Kraft will now begin the process again to find a coach who can get the franchise back on track.
Mike Vrabel, who also played for the Patriots and previously held a head coaching job with the Tennessee Titans, is the early favourite to take over next season.
