Jerod Mayo’s first, and only, season as head coach of the New England Patriots was filled with challenges, ending with his dismissal just hours after the team’s Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Reports now shed light on some of the moments that may have contributed to his short-lived tenure, including his surprising decision to play cards with players on the team plane following a disheartening Week 15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
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Did Jerod Mayo gamble away his coaching job
The Patriots’ 30-17 defeat in Arizona was expected to be a turning point after the team’s bye week.
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Instead, the game highlighted the struggles that plagued the team all season, leaving New England at just four wins on the year.
Yet, on the long flight home, Mayo was seen engaging in a card game with players rather than reviewing game film with his staff, a move that raised eyebrows among some in the organization.
“Look, there are a lot of ways to do the job,” a team source told The Athletic.
“It’s not that Jerod’s was definitely wrong. But I can’t say I’ve seen that before.”
While card games are not uncommon on team flights, it’s rare for a head coach to participate, especially after a loss.
Typically, head coaches spend such flights analyzing film or discussing strategy with their staff.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who fired Mayo after just one season, admitted that the 2024 campaign fell short of expectations and accepted responsibility for putting Mayo in a tough position.
“Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team’s performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped,”Kraft said in a statement.
Reflecting on the decision, Kraft acknowledged the difficulty of moving on from Mayo.
“For me, personally, it was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made,” he said.
Mayo’s coaching style, seen as a departure from the rigid “Patriots Way” established under Bill Belichick, may have contributed to the team’s struggles.
Critics noted that while Mayo’s player-friendly approach was appreciated, it sometimes came at the expense of his duties as head coach.
With the Patriots now searching for their next head coach, Mike Vrabel, a former Patriots player and current Tennessee Titans head coach, is considered a leading candidate.
Meanwhile, Mayo’s brief tenure serves as a reminder of the challenges of balancing leadership styles in a high-stakes NFL environment.
