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The Patriots close out the 2024 season today with a home game against the rival Buffalo Bills. A game that has major ramifications. With a loss, the Patriots would secure the first overall draft choice in April’s NFL Draft. With a win and a couple of different outcomes around the league, they could fall as far as the fourth pick in the draft.
Regardless of what happens today, the Patriots need to make major changes and it starts with moving on from Jerod Mayo. Mayo was a terrific player and he exhibits many of the qualities you want in a head coach. Unfortunately, it has not worked out this season. It is not so much about the product on the field. We knew the Patriots were going to struggle this season. It is about the other aspects of the job that Mayo has failed at.
Getting the team ready to play, managing playing time, dealing with the media. Mayo has failed in all of those areas. He is over his head in this role and does not project as a coach who is the right man to lead this franchise moving forward.
The Kraft family has to acknowledge that they misread the tea leaves and that Mayo is was not the right individual to lead this franchise in the future. It is unfortunate that it did not work out because Mayo is a good man and his heart is in the right place. He tried to be different than Bill Belichick. He tried doing it his way. It did not work. The Kraft family has to acknowledge that they made mistake and move on.
The question is will they? I do not think they will. I think Mayo will get another year but with changes. I also think that would be a mistake and set the franchise back further. Robert Kraft has to have a long term view of things and think about Drake Maye and the future of his franchise. If he genuinely wants to contend again, the only way to do it is to move on from Mayo and hire someone more experienced that can lead this franchise moving forward.
You can debate who that should be. Mike Vrabel, Brian Flores etc. Bottom line, there will be some good candidates available this off-season.
Mayo could eventually get another opportunity and turn out to be a good head coach. It would not be surprise. He has many of the qualities you look for in a head coach. He is not there yet however. The Patriots need something more at the top, more than Mayo has provided and can provide.
As a coach of 30 years, I have a unique perspective on all this. I have been a head coach, granted it was at the high school level but I know how hard it is to be the top guy at any level, never mind the NFL. It wears on you. I struggled in my first as a coach and felt overwhelmed. My second year was much different. I ended up being a head coach for four years and complied a record of 14-30. I did not get the job done and I realized that I needed to move on.
Should Mayo get more than one season? In theory, yes. The NFL is a business however. In high school, being bad might upset a few alumni and some townies. In the NFL, an entire city or region wants to win. It is a different deal. The Kraft family does not have a choice now. Either stick it out and risk losing more of the fanbase or make the change, start over and right the ship now.
You can make the argument that the Patriots should overhaul the entire football operation including the front office. It would be a valid argument. However, that is unlike to happen. What they should do is empower Eliot Wolf, let him pick the next coach and go through the process. Something they should have done last off-season.
Now they do not have a choice. The Patriots will have to go through the process if they move on from Mayo. It might be a painful break up and process, but for the long term success of the franchise, it is the right thing to do.
The Patriots need to make a change at head coach and that change needs to happen tomorrow.