Through his first 13 games as the head coach of the New England Patriots, Jerod Mayo is 3-10. Only the Las Vegas Raiders are worse than the Patriots in the AFC. They are among a handful of teams in that conference who have already been eliminated from playoff contention long before we even got to Christmas. New England's decision to promote Mayo from within was not without controversy, too.
Mayo was picked to be the heir apparent to Bill Belichick in Foxborough. Rather than interviewing even one other soul, the Patriots decadently picked Mayo to be Belichick's replacement after kicking him out the door. Mayo could be a fine head coach one day, but the current leadership at One Patriot Place set this man up for failure from day one. Of course, he could become the next Dan Campbell.
Here is what one anonymous source told Josina Anderson about the Patriots' coaching situation.
“There was never any consideration to this. The Lions started 3-13 the first year under Dan Campbell, then started 1-6 the next and people were calling for his head. Plus, what was going on before Mayo became head coach too? Patience is a virtue.”
Comparing Mayo to Campbell at this time is both as hilarious as it is sad. They are not the same, folks!
Jerod Mayo may not even get a chance to be a great head coach anymore
If this was a long-term hire all along, then why does it not feel like one? The Patriots may have one more win left up their sleeves this season, but they were always destined to be a team picking inside of the top five in the 2025 NFL Draft. At times, the Patriots have been able to hold their own in games because of the defense. However, this team is only going to go as far as where Drake Maye takes it.
While there is a chance Mayo may get another year or two to lead this team, the most important thing the Patriots have going for them is Maye. Pairing him with the right head coach will be paramount when it comes to his NFL success. Mayo could potentially be that guy. It does not matter that he favors the other side of the ball than Maye. What matters is Mayo instilling confidence in this team.
Ultimately, this felt like a bad hire the second New England was done being held captive by Bill Belichick. This is not college sports where you can have a one-man coaching search and people learn to love it, or at the very least accept it. This is the NFL. Hiring an internal candidate is not a new phenomenon, but the NFL often punishes the stupid. The Patriots used to be so smart. What gives?
Mayo needs to have next year's team being within a game or so of .500 to merit getting a third one.
