Patriots Patriots rumors: NFL insider says Jerod Mayo and his staff are ‘safe’ Mayo and his staff appear to be in line for another shot next season, according to The Athletic. Jerod Mayo. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo and his staff are believed to be safe from losing their jobs.
“At this point in the season, people around the league believe that this coaching staff is safe,” Russini wrote on X. “We’ll see if that changes.”
The Patriots are 3-8 under the rookie head coach. They’ve won two of their last four games, and they’re one win away from tying last year’s win total that came under Bill Belichick.
Russini did not rule out the possibility that changes could be made. She said that the general sense from the people she has talked to is that this coaching staff is not in immediate danger of being fired.
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There are several NFL coaches who have been fired after one season or less including Nathaniel Hackett (2022 Broncos), Urban Meyer (2021 Jaguars), and Steve Wilks (2018 Cardinals).
Mayo’s history as a Patriots player, relationship with owner Robert Kraft, and Kraft’s tendency to value longevity in coaches are all factors that make it seem unlikely that Mayo would be fired after this season.
Mayo was a two-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion as a player and he spent his entire career with the Patriots. Kraft said he handpicked Mayo to become Belichick’s successor years ago. Mayo is only the third coach that Kraft has hired since buying the team in 1994.
At this point in the season, people around the league believe that this coaching staff is safe.
We’ll see if that changes. https://t.co/6XlvfDtDlo — Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) November 18, 2024
Belichick lasted 24 of those 31 seasons. Pete Carroll was around for three, and two of his three seasons were winning seasons. Carroll lasted just one season with the Jets during a previous stop. Before Carroll, Kraft had inherited Bill Parcells from the previous ownership group.
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The Patriots have six games left to show what they can do this season, and things feel different now with Drake Maye under center. Four of the eight losses came with Jacoby Brissett as the starter.
At this point, the record remains underwhelming. There are only five teams in the league with fewer victories.
Plus, Russini’s post was a response to the Boston Herald‘s Andrew Callahan saying he was tired of writing about the Patriots getting out-coached.
Mayo and his staff have experienced growing pains along with their young team this season. Sunday’s loss to the Rams was just the latest example of questionable decision-making.
There’s a fair amount of football left to be played, but as of right now, Mayo and his staff appear to be in line for a shot to run it back next year, according to Russini.
Khari A. Thompson Sports Reporter Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.