Jerod Mayo was fired by the New England Patriots after one season
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After enjoying one of the longest periods of coaching stability under Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots are going the one-and-done route.
The Patriots fired coach Jerrod Mayo after just one season on Sunday, the team announced, revealing surprising details about who owner Robert Kraft hired as Belichick’s successor.
Kraft said the decision to fire Mayo was “one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.”
“Unfortunately, our team’s performance throughout the season has not been as I had expected,” Kraft said in a statement.
New England stumbled to a 4–13 loss in Mayo’s debut as head coach, although the team won its season finale against the Buffalo Bills. But with Belichick, who led the franchise to six Super Bowl wins in 24 years, ousted after a 4-13 campaign, many hoped Mayo would get more time to make a change.
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Instead, New England is once again looking for another fresh start.
Mayo got off to a good start with a surprising 16–10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the season opener. But the Patriots would lose their next six games and end the year with a seven-game losing streak. During the 40–7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17, chants of “Fire Mayo” echoed throughout Gillette Stadium.
Mayo also was criticized for calling New England “a completely soft football team” after a 32–16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7. The coach attempted to retract his comments, but Belichick and others criticized him. The characterization of their players and their performances.
Despite the unrest over the mounting losses, Mayo said in the week before the regular season finale against the Bills that there was no reason for concern about his condition.
“I’m always in constant communication with ownership,” Mayo said at a news conference. “I feel like we’re still on the same page.”
The Patriots are estimated to have more than $130 million in salary cap space for 2025 – more than any other team – as well as the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
This story has been updated with new information.