The unusual behavior Jerod Mayo displayed before Patriots firing

The unusual behavior Jerod Mayo displayed before Patriots firing

It wasn’t in the cards for Jerod Mayo.

The recently dismissed ex-Patriots head coach raised eyebrows this year when he chose to hang out with his players on a flight home from a loss while they engaged in card games rather than sit with his ᴀssistants, per The Athletic.

“Look, there are a lot of ways to do the job,” a team source present that day told the outlet. “It’s not that Jerod’s was definitely wrong. But I can’t say I’ve seen that before.”

Jerod Mayo lasted one season as the Patriots’ head coach. Getty Images

The Patriots did not fire Mayo because of where he sat on a plane on the ride home, but this story shows some of the bumps the former team captain experienced in his first year as a head coach.

Players and coaches usually sit in separate parts of the plane, with the report noting how Patriots ᴀssistants spent the flight watching clips from that day’s 30-17 road loss to the Cardinals in Week 15.

Mayo, who played eight seasons and won a тιтle with New England, returned to his player roots by opting for the entertainment rather than schematics.

Sources on the plane said it “felt like another example of Mayo going too far in the opposite direction of [Bill] Belichick,” whom Mayo had been hand-picked by ownership to replace.

This incident, though, aligns with a previous report that highlighted how Mayo struggled at times with media responsibilities.

Jerod Mayo after the Week 15 loss to the Cardinals. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Mayo had to walk back several remarks during the season, including remarks about the team’s spending, labeling his team as “soft” and a perceived dig at his offensive coordinator.

It all tells the tale of a first-time coach who may not have been ready for his gig, which Patriots owner Robert Kraft admitted Monday.

“This whole situation is on me,” Kraft said. “I feel terrible for Jerod because I put him in an untenable situation. I know that he has all the tools as a head coach to be successful in this league, he just needed more time before taking the job. In the end, I’m a fan of this team first, and now, I have to go out and find a coach who can get us back to the playoffs and hopefully championships.”

Jerod Mayo speaks with a player during the 2024 season. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With Mayo out, the Patriots could turn to another former player in ex-тιтans head coach Mike Vrabel.

New England has been slammed by some for allegedly attempting to skirt the Rooney Rule by interviewing former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and ex-Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, neither of whom are viewed as a serious head coaching candidate.

The Rooney Rule is designed to help minority coaches have a fairer shake in hiring processes.

Related Posts

Ashton Jeanty leaves fans horrified with ‘awful’ Swarovski-studded fashion choice on NFL Draft red carpet

Ashton Jeanty leaves fans horrified with ‘awful’ Swarovski-studded fashion choice on NFL Draft red carpet

Ashton Jeanty’s skills on the football field may have impressed front offices around the league, but his fashion on the red carpet has had the opposite effect…

Who is Travis Hunter’s fiancée Leanna Lenee? As two-way star prepares for NFL Draft 

Who is Travis Hunter’s fiancée Leanna Lenee? As two-way star prepares for NFL Draft 

Who is Leanna Lenee?  Leanna Lenee, the fiancée of top NFL Draft prospect Travis Hunter, suffered severe scrutiny in the wake of her partner’s rising fame –…

Stephen Wilson Jr’s heartbreak just weeks before NFL draft national anthem performance

Stephen Wilson Jr’s heartbreak just weeks before NFL draft national anthem performance

While country music singer Stephen Wilson Jr. will be performing the national anthem at the NFL Draft tonight, he nearly experienced a family tragedy earlier this month….

Cleveland Browns make Super Bowl winner available for a trade in wild move hours before 2025 NFL Draft

Cleveland Browns make Super Bowl winner available for a trade in wild move hours before 2025 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns hold the second pick at the NFL Draft tonight but it seems they aren’t stopping there as they urgently try to overhaul their roster….

Robert Griffin III lands stunning new job with broadcast rival after ESPN firing

Robert Griffin III lands stunning new job with broadcast rival after ESPN firing

Robert Griffin III has landed a new job with an ESPN rival after the network fired him last August. Griffin and Sam Ponder were both let go…

BREAKING NEWSJason Kelce announces America First business move amid Donald Trump’s trade war

BREAKING NEWSJason Kelce announces America First business move amid Donald Trump’s trade war

Jason Kelce is launching a new clothing line where items will be produced and manufactured entirely in the United States amid Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war. The…