NFL fans have claimed the writing was on the wall for Jerod Mayo and his short-lived tenure with the New England Patriots based on the head coach’s act in the final game of the regular season. 

Mayo, who had been the handpicked successor to Bill Belichick, bowed out of New England in spectacular fashion Sunday, overseeing the Patriots to a win in what was to be has final game in the job and costing the franchise the No. 1 overall Draft pick in the process. 

The head coach lasted just under 12 months in the role, being given the axe about an hour after the final whistle against the Buffalo Bills. 

But some fans suggested there was a sign that the 38-year-old already knew he was on his way out before the shock 23-16 victory even kicked off. 

Mayo was spotted without the blue square pin he has usually donned for games throughout the season, which is a symbol of support for Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s ‘Stand Up to Jewish Hate’ campaign. 

Mayo insisted there was no significance to not wearing the pin when asked about it by reporters following Sunday’s game. 

Former New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo was spotted without the blue pin 

Patriots owner, pictured wearing the pin, fired Mayo shortly after Sunday’s NFL finale 

‘I had a big coat on and it was kind of like the same thing last week or in Buffalo,’ he said, per Mike Kadlick. ‘[…] I apologize for not having it visible. You can make a story about it if you want to.’

However, given Kraft gave Mayo the boot just hours after the former Patriots player took to the sidelines without the pin, some NFL fans claimed that the coach opted not to wear it as he already knew he would be fired. 

Although Mayo has worn the pin for almost every other game this season, there is no evidence to suggest its absence and his dismissal were linked. 

‘Feels like Mayo flipped off the fans by winning and flipped off the Krafts by not wearing the Stop Jewish Hate pin. No Pick. No Pin. No Job. #Patriots,’ one fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

‘He probably knows he’s toast so there’s no need to play the game anymore to appease his boss,’ another claimed. 

‘He no longer feels the need to appease the boss,’ one social media user echoed.  

‘That’s a real quick way to get fired,’ a fourth suggested, while another implied that the deed was already done, adding: ‘They fired him!!’

Others agreed with one adding, ‘Guy knows it’s over,’ another posted, ‘The little comment at the end makes it seem so over lmao,’ while a third chimed in, ‘wow he knows he’s cooked.’

Mayo is pictured wearing the pin – a symbol of Kraft’s ‘Stand Up to Jewish Hate’ campaign

Many NFL fans claimed the absence of the pin was a sign Mayo knew he would be fired

‘I think we were just told that Jerod knows he coached his last game as the Pats HC,’ one said, referring to Mayo’s comments on the pin. 

Mayo isn’t the only NFL coach to have stirred controversy with symbols – or lack thereof – on their clothing this season. 

Former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh was spotted on the sidelines at Tottenham H๏τspur Stadium for the team’s international game against the Minnesota Vikings in October wearing a Lebanese flag below the Nike logo on the sleeve of his team hoodie. 

The night before the game Israeli bombing had continued on Beirut, the Lebanese capital, amid the Israel-Hezbollah war.

Born in Dearborn, Michigan, Saleh is an American citizen but his roots trace back to Lebanon.

He was fired by Jets owner Woody Johnson just a couple of days following the defeat to the Vikings in the British capital.