FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — When Robert Kraft employed Jerod Mayo a yr in the past, he felt he’d recognized the precise particular person to observe the championship legacy left by Invoice Belichick.
In hindsight, Kraft now believes Mayo wasn’t fairly able to be an NFL head coach.
The Patriots workforce proprietor mentioned Monday that his abrupt firing of Mayo simply minutes after he accomplished his first season within the job is an effort to appropriate that mistake.
“This complete state of affairs is on me. I really feel horrible for Jerod. As a result of I put him in an untenable state of affairs,” Kraft mentioned a day after relieving the 38-year-old Mayo of the teaching reins following a 4-13 end. “I do know he has all of the instruments as a head coach to achieve success on this league. He simply wanted extra time earlier than taking the job.”
Kraft mentioned that the workforce’s win over Buffalo on Sunday which price the Patriots the No. 1 total decide in April’s NFL draft didn’t play into the dismissal.
As a substitute, he mentioned Mayo went from his “excessive level” successful Patriots’ season opener at Cincinnati to regressing halfway by way of the schedule. He then didn’t present sufficient indicators of enchancment the remainder of the way in which.
And after watching back-to-back dismals seasons for a franchise that gained six Lombardi trophies over the previous two-plus a long time, the 83-year-old proprietor who referred to himself as “a fan of this workforce first” vowed to do what he can to see it return to a championship degree.
“I don’t need to undergo this subsequent yr. And we’re going to do what we’ve received to do to repair it,” Kraft mentioned.
That can start with transferring shortly to interview candidates for a job that is likely one of the most engaging within the league for a number of causes: New England’s futility this season nonetheless earned it the No. 4 decide within the draft, rookie Drake Maye established himself as a possible franchise quarterback, and the Patriots enter the offseason with greater than $130 million in wage cap house — essentially the most within the league.
What this course correction gained’t embrace — for now at the very least — are main modifications within the entrance workplace, with Kraft confirming that government vp of participant personnel Eliot Wolf and senior personnel government Alonzo Highsmith each are returning subsequent season.
Wolf and Highsmith may even each be concerned within the teaching search, together with Kraft’s son and Patriots workforce president Jonathan Kraft.
One of many names that just about instantly circulated as a attainable teaching candidate following Mayo’s exit was former Patriots participant and Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel.
A fan favourite throughout his eight seasons as a participant in New England, Vrabel was a member of every of the Patriots’ first three Tremendous Bowl-winning groups.
Following retirement, he went on to steer the Titans to 3 playoff appearances earlier than being fired following the 2023 season.
However Kraft wouldn’t say whether or not Vrabel was at or close to the highest of his listing of candidates.
“I don’t know all of the folks concerned. There are some great folks we’ve heard about, Kraft mentioned. “I’d moderately reply to that after I’ve seen everybody.”
As they cleaned out their lockers Monday earlier than departing for the offseason, a number of present Patriots gamers expressed shock at Mayo’s firing.
“Everyone is upset about his departure,” defensive sort out Deatrich Smart mentioned. “All of us revered Jerod Mayo. Held him in excessive regard. He did loads for us this yr. He was an awesome chief. Incredible particular person and a coach. So, we’re all unhappy to see him go. Want all of us may have had an opportunity to say goodbye. Didn’t actually see him. It occurred so quick.”
Fellow defensive sort out Davon Godchaux mentioned it’s a actuality of the NFL. However he mentioned it would take greater than only a new coach to show the workforce round.
“I really feel like all people being accountable. Everyone. Gamers. Coaches — all people,” Godchaux mentioned. “If we are able to do this, issues will begin transferring ahead. Till then, we’ve received an extended journey.”
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