It did not take lengthy for the New England Patriots to make Jerod Mayo the primary coach fired on the finish of the 2024 season.
Mayo was formally fired simply over an hour after the Patriots’ victory over the Buffalo Bills in Sunday’s common season finale. The win, although, was most likely extra miserable than all of the defeats Mayo suffered through the 4-13 season, which was additionally his first yr as head coach. New England misplaced its probability to carry the primary general choose within the 2025 NFL Draft following the win, dropping three spots within the draft order.
However, it was reported on quite a few events through the season that group proprietor Robert Kraft would doubtless retain Mayo, earlier than the Patriots snapped a six-game shedding streak earlier than Week 18.
NFL on FOX analyst Rob Gronkowski, who was Mayo’s teammate with the Patriots for a number of seasons, was amongst these caught off guard by Sunday’s announcement.
“I used to be shocked by it, for certain,” Gronkowski mentioned through the NFL halftime present on FOX. “Rookie head coach: The roster he was handed wasn’t that essential. It’s powerful. It’s a troublesome scenario in New England.”
According to Gronkowski, the Patriots went 4-13 below Bill Belichick final season and did not make many important upgrades to their roster. They chosen Drake Maye with the third general choose, however their solely notable free agent additions have been depth items. They additionally had a big quantity of cap house, utilizing it primarily to re-sign gamers who have been a part of their 2023 group.
Fellow NFL on FOX analyst Michael Strahan thought Mayo was given too brief a leash.
“Young man, first-year coach, first-year quarterback — come on, give him an opportunity,” Strahan mentioned.
Shortly after Mayo’s firing on Sunday, experiences surfaced that Patriots Hall of Famer and former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel was a number one candidate for the position. Gronkowski feels that is who his former group desires to rent.
“Obviously, Mr. Kraft did not see Jerod Mayo because the tradition builder he hoped to see within the last season,” Gronkowski mentioned. “Obviously, Mr. Kraft additionally has a plan for the long run. He’s most likely hoping to get Mike Vrabel. There’s additionally some rumors on the market that Josh McDaniels may return as offensive coordinator as effectively.”
Vrabel, who received three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots as a participant, is among the hottest names on the teaching market this offseason. He helped the Titans attain the postseason 4 instances in his six seasons at Tennessee, going 54-45 earlier than his firing on the finish of the 2023 season.
The New York Jets have already interviewed Vrabel, assembly with him for a number of hours on Friday.
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