The New England Patriots fired coach Jerod Mayo on Sunday night, just one season after promoting him as their successor to the great Bill Belichick.
Mayo’s dismissal came after New England’s 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills on the final day of the regular season, with the Patriots finishing 4-13 in their third straight loss.
“After the game today, I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025,” owner Robert Kraft said in a statement.
“For me, personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he conducted himself in our community.
“When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident, as I saw how the players responded to him.
“When other teams started asking to interview him, I was afraid of losing him and committed to making him our next coach. Winning the season opener on the road in Cincinnati only strengthened my convictions.
“Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team’s performances throughout the season did not go as well as I had hoped.”
Mayo previously spent eight seasons with the Patriots as a player, during which he won the Super Bowl during the 2014 season.
He eventually returned in 2019 to join Belichick’s staff as the inside linebackers coach, establishing himself as one of the most highly regarded defensive minds in football.
His popularity saw him emerge as a leading candidate to take over from Belichick when and if his time in Foxboro ended. That moment came after a 4-13 record in 2023, as the Patriots left Belichick after six of nine Super Bowl victories and 24 seasons at the helm.
At age 37, he entered the season as the second-youngest coach in the NFL behind Seattle’s Mike Macdonald.
“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 added.
“I appreciate all of his hard work and hope the experiences gained will help him in the future as I still believe he will be a successful coach in this league. I wish Jerod and his family nothing but but success in the future.”
A grueling season included encouraging signs from rookie quarterback Drake Maye, whose performances should allow the Patriots to take advantage at other positions in the NFL Draft if they choose.
New England began the campaign with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals before losing six in a row, including a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, after which Mayo divided critics by suggesting his team played “softly”.
The Patriots responded with two wins in their next three against the New York Jets and Chicago Bears on either side of an overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, before suffering another six-game skid including a 40-7 loss at Los Angeles Chargers in late December.
Mayo’s departure comes at a time when Mike Vrabel’s name has re-entered the pool of coaching candidates around the league, as the former Tennessee Titans coach won three Super Bowls during his time as a player in New England.
