The New England Patriots need a replacement for Bill Belichick’s replacement.
The Patriots fired head coach Jerod Mayo on Sunday after only one season, during which New England went just 4-13.
“We have tremendous fans who expect and deserve a better product than we have delivered in recent years,” Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a statement.
“I apologize for that. I have given much thought and consideration as to what actions I can take to expedite our return to championship contention and determined this move was the best option at this time.”
The announcement came less than two hours after the Patriots beat the Buffalo Bills, 23-16 — a win that dropped New England out of position for the No. 1 overall draft pick.
The Patriots named Mayo their head coach in January, about a week after Belichick agreed to part ways with the organization following 24 seasons, 19 AFC East titles and six Super Bowl championships.
Mayo played all eight of his NFL seasons as a linebacker with the Patriots and was part of Belichick’s defensive coaching staff from 2019-23.
“I’m not trying to be Bill,” Mayo said at his introductory press conference. “I think that Bill is his own man. If you can’t tell by now, I’m a little bit different, even up here. But what I will say is the more I think about the lessons that I’ve taken from Bill, hard work works, right? Hard work works, and that’s what we’re all about.”
But the Patriots endured a difficult season under Mayo, even as rookie quarterback Drake Maye flashed in his 11 starts.
They suffered two separate six-game losing streaks and lost seven games by double-digits, including a 32-16 defeat by the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Oct. 20. After that loss, Mayo described the Pats as “a soft football team across the board.”
At 38, Mayo was among the NFL’s youngest head coaches.
“This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made,” Kraft said. “I have 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.”
The Patriots become the latest team with an opening at head coach, joining the Jets, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears.
Mike Vrabel, another former linebacker who played eight seasons with the Patriots, is searching for a head coaching job and has obvious ties to New England.
The Jets interviewed Vrabel, who went 54-45 in six seasons as the Tennessee Titans’ head coach, on Friday.
