The New England Patriots made headlines recently by firing rookie head coach Jerod Mayo after a rough 2024 season.
Mayo guided the team to a record of just 4-13.
Additionally, the former Super Bowl champion player struggled to discipline his players, according to The Athletic’s Chad Graff.
“(Mayo) struggled with discipline and how to enforce it. Before the Patriots’ Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, he told broadcast crews he was going to bench running back Rhamondre Stevenson because of his recent fumbles. But when it came to do so, he had a change of heart,” Graff wrote recently.
Jerod Mayo had no idea how to discipline players:
Per: @ChadGraff
“Mayo, according to team sources with knowledge of the situation, struggled with discipline and how to enforce it. Before the Patriots’ Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, he told broadcast crews he… pic.twitter.com/eN7rJNZ8v9
— Savage (@SavageSports_) January 8, 2025
In the NFL, discipline is an essential part of the game.
If a player is not doing his job or not performing well enough, they have to be put in their place for a little bit.
It makes sense that New England would want to move on from Mayo if he struggled to keep his players disciplined, as this also affects on-field results.
Yes, the team was relatively young, especially on offense.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye got his first NFL snaps and experience this season.
However, teams like the Green Bay Packers, who are also young, have been able to make the playoffs over the last few seasons without using age and inexperience as a crutch.
The Pats are still trying to find their way, and given the nature of this latest report, Mayo simply wasn’t the answer.
Time will now tell to see if the organization can find the right head coach moving forward.
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