{"id":88547,"date":"2025-01-07T03:24:30","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T03:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/2025\/01\/07\/12-reasons-why-the-2024-patriots-season-turned-into-a-disaster-for-jerod-mayo-robert-kraft\/"},"modified":"2025-01-07T03:26:55","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T03:26:55","slug":"12-reasons-why-the-2024-patriots-season-turned-into-a-disaster-for-jerod-mayo-robert-kraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvbrazilusa.com\/pt\/2025\/01\/07\/12-reasons-why-the-2024-patriots-season-turned-into-a-disaster-for-jerod-mayo-robert-kraft\/","title":{"rendered":"12 reasons why the 2024 Patriots season turned into a disaster for Jerod Mayo, Robert Kraft"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8864793242727901\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header class=\"m-article-header m-article-header--standard\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span id=\"article-header-primary-term\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"a-term a-term--primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/tag\/new-england-patriots\/\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPatriots\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"m-article-header__sub-headline\">Several factors \u2014 some due to Jerod Mayo and others out of the first-year coach&#8217;s control \u2014 led to disaster in 2024.<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"a-photo m-article-header__photo\"><figcaption class=\"a-photo__caption\">\n\tJerod Mayo was fired after a 4-13 showing in 2024. <em> Barry Chin \/ The Boston Globe<\/em>\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/header>\n<p><strong>COMMENTARY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The 2024 Patriots season came to a merciful end on Sunday afternoon at a chilly Gillette Stadium.<\/p>\n<p>The promise showcased by rookie QB Drake Maye, his ascension as a budding star, and Christian Gonzalez\u2019s lockdown defense were silver linings in an otherwise disastrous campaign for a once-proud NFL franchise.<\/p>\n<p>New England closed out its latest campaign with a 4-13 record \u2014 with the Patriots <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2025\/01\/05\/jerod-mayo-new-england-patriots-fired-nfl-robert-kraft-nfl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">making the call to fire Jerod Mayo just an hour<\/a> after his players left the field for the final time this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It was the ugliest season of football in recent memory for Patriots fans \u2014 with a regressing defense, poor coaching, brutal crunch-time management, off-the-field drama, and an ugly offseason compounding 18 weeks of misery in Foxborough.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Here are 12 reasons why Jerod Mayo and the Patriots bottomed out in 2024 \u2014 costing the former his job after one year as a head coach.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-kraft-turns-aside-coaching-search-in-favor-of-jerod-mayo\"><strong>Kraft turns aside coaching search in favor of Jerod Mayo<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Patriots had an unenviable task in front of them this offseason when it came to both righting the ship after a four-win 2023 campaign \u2014 and replacing the greatest coach in NFL history in Bill Belichick.<\/p>\n<p>The only issue, of course, is that Robert Kraft and New England\u2019s top brass didn\u2019t open a seismic offseason by conducting a full overhaul of their coaching and front-office staff.<\/p>\n<p>Rather, New England opted to promote Jerod Mayo as head coach just a day after parting ways with Belichick \u2014 elevating the 38-year old Mayo despite never holding a coordinator role on Belichick\u2019s staff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just went with my instinct, and the only time I didn\u2019t was Bill Belichick in \u201996 after I saw what went on, I didn\u2019t hire him,\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/01\/17\/five-takeaways-from-jerod-mayos-introductory-press-conference\/#:~:text=Kraft%20traded%20for%20Belichick%20who,hire%20him%2C%E2%80%9D%20Kraft%20said.\"> Kraft said during Mayo\u2019s introductory press conference.<\/a> \u201cI made another hire. I didn\u2019t hire him. My instinct was to do it, but because of his loyalty to a man we had such difficulty with who did a great job, but he took another job when we were going to the Super Bowl, and I just couldn\u2019t bring someone in \u2014 because trust is so important.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut as I watched what happened when he was with his next team, I realized I made a mistake,\u201d Kraft added. \u201cI should have gone with my instincts in \u201996, and I hired Bill. That worked out pretty well. Well, I have the same feeling now having watched Jerod for 16 years in a lot of different situations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kraft\u2019s decision to put <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/01\/11\/new-england-patriots-jerod-mayo-nfl-football-bill-belichick\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a succession plan into Mayo\u2019s contract<\/a>, coupled with Kraft\u2019s braggadocious claims <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/09\/20\/robert-kraft-jerod-mayo-patriots-head-coach\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">that he decided on hiring Mayo five years ago<\/a>, aged poorly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-failing-to-add-talent-during-the-offseason\"><strong>Failing to add talent during the offseason<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Despite Mayo\u2019s claim that the Patriots<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/01\/22\/jerod-mayo-patriots-spending\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> were poised to \u201cburn some cash\u201d<\/a> ahead of the offseason, de-facto GM Eliot Wolf did little to significantly upgrade New England\u2019s flawed roster despite having plenty of cap space available.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Wolf\u2019s plans to \u201cweaponize\u201d the offense did not lead to any headline-stealing developments, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/03\/13\/calvin-ridley-nfl-patriots-titans-jaguars-free-agency-trade-offseason-draft-receiver\/\">despite the team\u2019s efforts to sign Calvin Ridley in free agency<\/a> or trade for Brandon Aiyuk.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Bringing in Antonio Gibson and Austin Hooper were solid pick-ups, but was not enough to significantly move the needle on offense \u2014 while K.J. Osborn (seven catches, 57 yards) was a complete bust.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Wolf\u2019s inability to bolster the offensive line was also a major miscue, especially with several tackles on the free agent market. New England brought in Chukwuma Okorafor (who primarily played right tackle with the Steelers) to play left tackle in 2024 \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/09\/14\/nfl-patriots-place-chukwuma-okorafor-on-exempt-left-squad-list\/\">with the veteran only playing 12 total snaps before leaving the team in early September.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Okorafor\u2019s early exit led to a brutal revolving door at the tackle position, elevating Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs into starting roles.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Despite entering free agency with over $100 million in cap space, New England still had $54.1 million in space by early April, <a href=\"https:\/\/overthecap.com\/salary-cap-space\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">per Over The Cap.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was a rookie mistake. That was a rookie mistake by me,\u201d Mayo<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/2024\/04\/29\/sports\/patriots-jerod-mayo-burning-cash\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> said in April of his burning cash comment<\/a>. \u201cAs soon as I got downstairs, [Patriots vice president of communications Stacey James] slapped me in the head, like, \u2018What are you doing?\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou understand what I meant, though. What I really meant, though, is we\u2019re going to be, obviously, smart with cash and smart with acquisitions. I was just very excited. At the same time, I feel like we\u2019re building the roster the way we want to build it.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-brutal-draft-haul-nbsp\"><strong>A brutal draft haul\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The good news? The Patriots found their QB of the future in Drake Maye.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The bad news? New England\u2019s other seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft were not exactly home runs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Wolf\u2019s decision to trade the No. 34 pick (which the Chargers<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/12\/26\/new-england-patriots-nfl-draft-ladd-mcconkey-chargers-jalynn-polk\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> used to draft WR Ladd McConkey)<\/a> has quickly turned into a disaster.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As a result of that pick swap, Los Angeles added a dynamic slot receiver in McConkey who reeled in 82 catches for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns, as well as a ball-hawking cornerback in Tarheeb Still (four interceptions).<\/p>\n<p>The Patriots used those picks to bring in Ja\u2019Lynn Polk and Javon Baker \u2014 who combined for just 13 catches, 99 yards and two touchdowns all season long.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Add in mixed returns for offensive linemen in Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson, and New England doesn\u2019t exactly have a young core in place beyond Maye and Christian Gonzalez.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-porous-offensive-line-nbsp\"><strong>A porous offensive line\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>As was the case in 2023, New England\u2019s struggles in pass protection and blocking gave the team\u2019s offense a shaky foundation all season long.<\/p>\n<p>As a result of Okorafor\u2019s early exit, New England routinely rolled out arguably the worst starting tackle duo between Lowe and Jacobs. In total, the Patriots finished the season with 12 different starting offensive linemen.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That lack of continuity at the line of scrimmage coupled with outright porous play routinely kept New England\u2019s offense stuck in neutral. While Maye\u2019s ability to maneuver and run outside the pocket bailed out several of the team\u2019s drives, Jacoby Brissett was regularly put under siege \u2014 while New England\u2019s run game was regularly stuck in the mud due to poor blocking.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Despite appearing in 15 games, Rhamondre Stevenson averaged a career-low 3.9 yards per carry.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>New England allowed 52 sacks this season \u2014 the fifth-most in the NFL, and the most sacks allowed in New England over one year since 1999.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nfl\/story\/_\/id\/43263421\/patriots-coach-jerod-mayo-future-first-season-ups-downs\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">As noted by ESPN\u2019s Mike Reiss<\/a>, the Patriots ranked last in the NFL in pass block win rate (50.8%) this season, according to ESPN Analytics. They also ranked last in run block win rate (67.6%).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Patriots currently hold the 1st pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. For those wondering what their priorities should be, I submit exhibit A <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/R13yYqSHl4\">pic.twitter.com\/R13yYqSHl4<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MoveTheSticks\/status\/1873788291994312708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 30, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-injury-bug\">The injury bug<\/h3>\n<p>While the Patriots were seriously short on talent all across the depth chart, New England was also hampered by several major injuries to several key playmakers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The loss of linebacker <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/09\/16\/jawhaun-bentley-injury-update-new-england-patriots-linebacker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ja\u2019Whaun Bentley\u00a0to a torn pectoral muscle <\/a>in Week 2 was devastating, considering Bentley usually wears the green dot as the primary defensive play-caller and has been a force against the run.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>New England also lost arguably its second-best defensive player behind Gonzalez in defensive tackle Christian Barmore \u2014 who was limited to just four games due to a blood-clot issue. Barmore was placed back on the non-football illness list<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=boston.com+barmore+list&#038;sca_esv=a9831437cc3c8411&#038;rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1106US1106&#038;sxsrf=ADLYWIL-CvqYChzhYuEWBqyIdxOsROZPBw%3A1736195306000&#038;ei=6Tx8Z-XhPOuGptQPw9DT8Qs&#038;ved=0ahUKEwil-uXD9-GKAxVrg4kEHUPoNL4Q4dUDCBA&#038;uact=5&#038;oq=boston.com+barmore+list&#038;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiF2Jvc3Rvbi5jb20gYmFybW9yZSBsaXN0MgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSPMNUKcDWIANcAF4AJABAJgB2QGgAYkGqgEFMC4yLjK4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgWgApYGwgIHECMYsAMYJ8ICCRAAGLADGAgYHsICDhAAGIAEGLADGIYDGIoFwgIIEAAYsAMY7wXCAgsQABiwAxiiBBiJBcICCxAAGIAEGLADGKIEwgIEECMYJ8ICBhAAGBYYHsICCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFwgIFEAAY7wXCAggQABiiBBiJBcICCBAAGIAEGKIEwgIFECEYqwKYAwCIBgGQBgiSBwUxLjIuMqAHuBQ&#038;sclient=gws-wiz-serp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> in December due to \u201crecurring symptoms\u201d from his blood-clot issues<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/morning-sports-update\/2024\/10\/02\/david-andrews-patriots-injury-update-report\/\">The loss of David Andrews<\/a> after just four games due to a shoulder injury further hampered an already shorthanded offensive line.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-regressing-defense\"><strong>A regressing defense<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The writing was on the wall that New England\u2019s offense \u2014 especially its offensive line \u2014 would be a work in progress.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But few expected New England\u2019s defense to take a significant step back under Mayo and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Even with the injuries to Bentley, Barmore, and a trade involving Matthew Judon, the Patriots completely bottomed out on the defensive side of the ball.<\/p>\n<p>New England ranked 22nd in points allowed per game (24.5) this season, giving up 47 total touchdowns after relinquishing 38 in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Entering Sunday\u2019s Week 18 snoozer against the Bills backups, New England\u2019s red-zone defense ranked 24th in touchdown percentage (61.8%) after finishing fifth last season (46.1%).<\/p>\n<p>An inability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks hindered New England all season long, with the Patriots finishing dead-last in the league with just 28 sacks on the season. The Patriots were also tied with the Browns for the second-lowest mark in the league with just 0.7 takeaways per game.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-dearth-of-weapons-nbsp\"><strong>A dearth of weapons\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Even if Drake Maye showed this season that he looked like the real deal under center, the rookie had little to work with when it came to passing targets in 2024. <\/p>\n<p>Even in the rare instances where he was able to avoid pass rushers, his most-dependable target all season long was veteran\u00a0 Hunter Henry (66 catches, 674 yards).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>DeMario Douglas finished with the most receiving yards among wideouts this season with 621 \u2014 while Kayshon Boutte\u2019s 117 receiving yards in Week 18 was the first time a Patriots WR recorded 100-plus yards in a game since Kendrick Bourne in Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season. The last time a Patriots wideout posted 1,000 yards in a single season was Julian Edelman in 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>With New England\u2019s offense slowed down by limited playmakers and a dreadful offensive line, the Patriots entered Week 18 ranked 30th in scoring (16.6 points per game), 30th in red zone offense, and 29th in third down offense.<\/p>\n<p>Had it not been for Maye, an already arduous season would have been far worse for New England.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fumbles-with-the-media-nbsp\"><strong>Fumbles with the media\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Patriots were already a tough watch on the field in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>But Mayo also had several instances in which his candid \u2014 and ill-advised \u2014 remarks to the media led to several distractions and narratives that lingered over an already difficult season.<\/p>\n<p>Mayo walking back his \u201cburn some cash\u201d comment was the first of many times where the first-year head coach had to do damage control after taking questions from the press.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There was Mayo\u2019s mixed messaging in the preseason when he<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/09\/03\/jerod-mayo-drake-maye-outplayed-jacoby-brissett-comments\/\"> proclaimed that Drake Maye had \u201coutplayed\u201d Jacoby Brissett during preseason action <\/a>\u2014 only to then roll with the veteran through the first few weeks of regular-season action.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Mayo also had to walk back his comments after stating that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/10\/20\/jerod-mayo-called-the-patriots-a-soft-football-team-after-loss-to-jaguars\/\">he had a \u201csoft football team\u201d following an ugly loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London<\/a> during Week 7.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>He further sowed discourse over the dysfunction potentially brewing in New England\u2019s chain of command when he seemingly threw offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt under the bus after a road loss to Arizona in December.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou said it, I didn\u2019t,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/12\/15\/jerod-mayo-alex-van-pelt-drake-maye-new-england-patriots-play-calls-cardinals\/\">Mayo said when asked when the Patriots didn\u2019t dial up a QB sneak for a mobile QB like Maye.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>His follow-up to the media the next morning?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know there\u2019s a lot of chatter about the question last night, \u2018You said that,\u2019\u201d Mayo said. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean anything by that. It was more of a defensive response and, ultimately, I tried to clarify that with the follow-up question. Because ultimately all of those decisions are mine. So just wanted to get that out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even seemingly smaller missteps like saying that Antonio Gibson was starting Week 17 against the Chargers after another fumble-heavy performance the previous week from Rhamondre Stevenson \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsportsboston.com\/nfl\/new-england-patriots\/jerod-mayo-rhamondre-stevenson-antonio-gibson-chargers\/677101\/\">only to start Stevenson anyway<\/a> \u2014 highlighted Mayo\u2019s miscues in messaging.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-off-the-field-distractions\"><strong>Off-the-field distractions<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Mayo was not the only one who regularly made all the wrong headlines when it came to mistakes away from the field.<\/p>\n<p>Much like their head coach, the Patriots\u2019 roster had a knack for saying all the wrong things when a microphone was put in front of them.<\/p>\n<p>A few of the highlights include:\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not dealing with [any] mental problems at all. No mental problems,\u201d Ja\u2019Lynn Polk when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/10\/17\/jalynn-polk-new-england-patriots-drops-nfl-football-jerod-mayo\/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI'm%20not%20dealing%20with,not%20an%20issue%20at%20all.%E2%80%9D\">asked about his trend of dropping passes during his rookie season<\/a>: \u201cI believe I have the best hands in the league. So, I feel like my drops, that\u2019s not an issue at all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe fans, I appreciate them at times, but sometimes they just have to know their place and just understand that it\u2019s a work in progress. Rome wasn\u2019t built in one day.\u201d \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/morning-sports-update\/2025\/01\/03\/jahlani-tavai-patriots-fans-quote-jerod-mayo\/\">Jahlani Tavai on WEEI about fans booing the Patriots <\/a>and calling for Jerod Mayo to be fired.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of our other coaches came to me and said, \u2018Marcus is trying to get ahold of you.\u2019 \u2026 \u201cThat was the first time it had come to my attention that he had played offensive plays,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/2024\/11\/21\/sports\/patriots-marcus-jones-offense\/\">\u2013 Alex Van Pelt on finding out CB Marcus Jones can play offense.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe just all got to be on the same page. We got guys \u2014 you know, just being honest \u2014 we got guys, some guys being kind of selfish.\u201d \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/10\/01\/davon-godchaux-new-england-patriots-nfl-football-49ers\/\">Davon Godchaux on WEEI after the Patriots\u2019 loss to the 49ers.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo speak for myself, I\u2019ve seen a lot of stuff out there. It feels like a lot of guys start giving up when things get hard.\u201d \u2013 Defensive tackle <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/_AndrewCallahan\/status\/1873137078609035379\">Daniel Ekuale to the<em> Boston Herald\u2019s <\/em>Andrew Callahan<\/a> after the 40-7 loss to the Chargers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Patriots\u2019 usually tight-run ship also sprung leaks with other off-the-field incidents.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/07\/29\/matthew-judon-leaves-after-a-chat-with-jerod-mayo-and-other-takeaways-from-day-5-of-patriots-camp\/\">Matthew Judon leaving training camp amid his contract dispute<\/a>, Javon Baker\u2019s Instagram Live <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/09\/06\/patriots-javon-baker-instagram-live-police-comments-reaction\/\">after getting into a shouting match with law enforcement at Logan Airport<\/a>, as well as Baker<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsportsboston.com\/nfl\/new-england-patriots\/javon-baker-curfew-jaguars-london\/661513\/\"> reportedly missing curfew in London<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Things hit a new low when team captain Jabrill Peppers<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/10\/07\/jabrill-peppers-arrested-report-details\/\"> was arrested in October<\/a> and charged with assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of a class \u201cB\u201d substance.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-blowouts-and-nail-biting-losses\">Blowouts and nail-biting losses<\/h3>\n<p>The Patriots were an unpredictable mess when it came to setting expectations with each new game. <\/p>\n<p>While New England finished with a 3-6 record in one-score games, there were multiple occasions in which New England couldn\u2019t seal the deal in crunch time \u2014 including a pair of overtime losses to the Seahawks and Titans, as well as a 25-24 loss to the Colts.  <\/p>\n<p>While one could spin that record as the sign of a rebuilding team that is still trying to learn how to execute in close games, New England was also 1-7 in games decided by multiple scores \u2014 including six losses by at least 16 points.<\/p>\n<p>A blowout loss to the Chargers in Week 17 might have been rock bottom, but it was far from an outlier. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-growing-pains-on-the-coaching-staff\"><strong>Growing pains on the coaching staff<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Another major misstep for the Patriots\u2019 top brass was surrounding a rookie head coach \u2014 with no play-calling experience \u2014 with a coaching staff also littered with newcomers or personnel punching above their weight when it came to responsibilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While Van Pelt\u2019s mentorship of QBs like Maye and Joe Milton paid dividends, his play calling at times was far too conservative for a team elevated by Maye\u2019s contributions as the year went on. On the other side of the ball, Covington and an inexperienced defensive staff seemingly had no answers for a regressing roster.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Mayo was also prone to multiple instances in which he turned down aggressive plays on fourth-down and other critical situations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There was New England\u2019s OT loss to the Titans, with Maye\u2019s miraculous last-second scramble and touchdown throw to Stevenson giving his team life at the end of the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"\/>\n<p>Rather than go for a two-point conversion to try and win the game outright, Mayo and the Patriots opted for the PAT and overtime \u2014 only to lose in the extra frame after coughing up a field goal and Maye ending his drive with a costly interception. <\/p>\n<p>In New England\u2019s 25-24 loss to the Colts, New England opted for an absurd 68-yard field goal \u2014 something that had never been accomplished before \u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/12\/02\/drake-maye-new-england-patriots-weei-hail-mary-nfl-football\/\"> instead of going for a Hail Mary.<\/a> When asked why he didn\u2019t call a timeout during the Colts\u2019 game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, Mayo stressed the Patriots <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/morning-sports-update\/2024\/12\/02\/jerod-mayo-patriots-super-bowl-reference-timeout-usage\/\">\u201cwon a Super Bowl here doing it the other way\u201d<\/a> when it came to timeout usage.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>There <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/09\/17\/jerod-mayo-patriots-seahawks-week-2-column\/\">was not running out the clock at the end of the first half <\/a>against the Seahawks in Week 2, allowing the Seahawks to march down the field and kick a field goal before halftime in what ended up being an overtime loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>And there was New England \u2014 staring at a 4th-and-2 from the Rams\u2019 2-yard line and trailing by 11 in the third quarter \u2014 opting for a field goal in an eventual 28-22 loss.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m always coaching to win,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/2024\/11\/17\/sports\/patriots-jerod-mayo-rams\/\">Mayo said after the loss to the Rams.<\/a> \u201cLook, every decision that I make won\u2019t always be the popular one, and that\u2019s part of this job.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-an-ugly-final-month\">An ugly final month<\/h3>\n<p>In late December, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Mayo\u2019s job was safe going into 2025 \u2014 but doled out a few qualifiers. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\/news\/jerod-mayo-expected-to-return-as-patriots-head-coach-in-2025-barring-collapse\">Rapoport said<\/a>. \u201cThey believe he is the leader for the organization for the future, and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow if things go off the rails, if they really start to struggle and he loses the locker room the last couple games of the season, we\u2019ve seen this thing turn. But as of now, the Patriots believe Jerod Mayo is their leader for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fair to say, things have derailed down the home stretch for New England.<\/p>\n<p>After dropping a one-point loss to the Colts on Dec. 1, New England came out of the bye week with a sluggish 30-17 road loss to the Cardinals \u2014 with Mayo running into more trouble postgame with his perceived shot at Van Pelt. <\/p>\n<p>While some of the pressure against Mayo and his staff were seemingly alleviated by a close 24-21 loss to the Bills on the road in Week 16, that goodwill dissipated the following week when New England <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2024\/12\/28\/patriots-chargers-game-updates-live-blog\/\">was embarrassed at Gillette Stadium in a 40-7 blowout loss to the Chargers <\/a>\u2014 prompting cheers of \u201cFire Mayo\u201d to erupt from the stands.<\/p>\n<p>New England\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/sports\/new-england-patriots\/2025\/01\/05\/new-england-patriots-bills-2025-nfl-draft-no-4-pick-no-1-first-overall\/\">inability to retain the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft <\/a>by beating the Bills\u2019 backups on Sunday was the cherry on top. <\/p>\n<p>Less than 40 minutes after Mayo fielded his final question from the podium at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, he was out of a job. <\/p>\n<div class=\"o-author-single has-avatar\">\n<header class=\"m-author-card\">\n<div class=\"a-image a-image--square m-author-card__image\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.boston.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Headshot_Conor-645c0406ed6cb-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Profile image for Conor Ryan\"\/>\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"author-info\">\n<div class=\"m-author__section\">\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"m-block m-generic-cta\t m-generic-cta--post-content\t m-generic-cta--dark\t m-generic-cta--homepage\t m-generic-cta--email-signup\t\t m-generic-cta-block-style--default \tt-amp__generic-cta\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-generic-cta__wrap\">\n<div class=\"m-generic-cta__content\">\n<h3 class=\"m-generic-cta__title\">Sign up for Patriots updates\ud83c\udfc8<\/h3>\n<p class=\"m-generic-cta__subtitle\">Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during football season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script>\n\t\tvar consent=\"grant\";\n\t\t\/* The above code is parsing the JSON data from the local storage and storing it in a variable. *\/\n\t\t\t\t\tconst onetrustStorageConsent = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem( 'consent_one_trust_bdc' ) );\n\t\t\tif ( ( onetrustStorageConsent !== null ) ) {\n\t\t\t\t\/* Checking to see if the user has consented to the use of cookies.\n\t\t\t\t* If they have not, it is deleting the cookie.\n\t\t\t\t* This will comment for now, until further notice.\n\t\t\t\t*\/\n\t\t\t\t\/\/if ( onetrustStorageConsent.C0002 === false ) {\n\t\t\t\t\/\/\tdocument.cookie=\"_fbp=;expires=Thu, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 UTC; 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